For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 29, 2001
Remarks by the President in Question and Answer Session with the Press
The Oval Office
2:04 P.M. EST
THE
PRESIDENT: Mr. Secretary, you better move over before you
get trampled by the hungry caterpillar. (Laughter.)
I want to
thank the two chairmen from the Senate and the House for coming to
visit us. I appreciate you being here, Mr. Secretary; of
course, the Vice President. We've had a very -- we've had a
discussion -- a couple of key issues. One, I was informing
the chairmen that today we're sending up to the Hill our Immediate
Helping Hand proposal, which is help for prescription drugs for
seniors. I appreciate them hearing me out as to the
rationale to send it up.
I was
pleased to hear there is some sentiment on the Hill for quick action
for Medicare reform, a reform package which would include prescription
drugs. And, secondly, of course, we talked about tax relief,
tax simplification and tax fairness. They brought a
favorable report that members from both parties are beginning to talk
positively about tax relief and the positive effects it will have on
our economy, on the lives of our average citizens. So I want
to thank them for coming.
I'd be glad
to answer a few questions. Yes, John?
Q Sir,
on your energy task force, is this seeking political cover, sir, to
promote your campaign to open up the wildlife refuge? And
also, given the Vice President's past ties to oil, what can you say to
consumers that would allay any fears they might have that any deal that
you come up with on energy, any national energy policy, may be more
geared toward oil companies than to consumers?
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, Dick Cheney is a person who loves America
and cares about the future of the country, just like I
do. And he understands what I understand, that if we don't
find more energy supplies to meet growing demand in places like
California, the consumer is going to pay a dear price.
During the
course of the campaign, we spent a lot of time talking about the need
to develop a national energy policy. And that's exactly what
we're going to do. There is a short-term issue of
California, and we responded quickly to the Governor's request for a
two-week extension on some mandatory allocations of energy and
gas. It's now up to the people of California, the elected
officials of California, to correct a flawed law, and we're encouraged
that they're doing so.
But there's
a long-term issue as well, and that is, how do we find more energy
supplies? How do we encourage conservation on the one hand,
and bring more energy into the marketplace. And a good place
to look is going to be ANWR. And I campaigned hard on the
notion of having an environmentally-sensitive exploration to ANWR, and
I think we can do so.
Q On
your faith-based initiative, could you address the concern that some
people have that this is an erosion of church and state, and that this
will somehow be an office of evangelicals in the White House?
THE
PRESIDENT: Right. I appreciate that question,
because I, in the state of Texas, had heard a lot of discussion about a
faith-based initiative eroding the important bridge between church and
state. And I am convinced that our plan is constitutional,
because we intend -- we will not fund a church or a synagogue or a
mosque or any religion, but instead, will be funding programs that
affect people in a positive way.
The
charitable choice provision that had been debated in the welfare reform
package fully explored the constitutional questions involved with
funding people and/or faith-based programs. And I am
confident that our program not only is constitutional, but more
importantly, our program is going to change America for the better,
that we're going to help people, and we're going to help people help
themselves, and we're going to rally the great compassion of America.
And I look
forward to implementing this program. I look forward to
working with members of Congress to put the required package together.
Q How
do you respond to the members of Congress who say they would rather see
a universal, broad-based approach to Medicare reform rather than your
drug plan first and a broader approach later?
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, if, in fact, what they're saying is that
they plan on expediting a Medicare reform that will include
prescription drugs for all seniors, then all of a sudden, I begin to
say, well, gosh, that may make sense that you look at our proposal the
way you do. If they're going to drag their feet, if the
members of the Congress on both sides of the aisle don't feel the same
urgency that I feel and these two chairmen feel on Medicare reform,
then I feel it's very important for us to have an immediate helping
hand. There are a lot of seniors who need help when it comes
to prescription drugs.
Q Why
did you decide not to challenge the Clinton pardon, sir?
THE
PRESIDENT: Oh, on Marc Rich? First of all, I
didn't agree with the decision. I would not have made that
decision myself. But the ability for a president to make
decisions is -- a decision on pardons, is inviolate, as far as I'm
concerned. It's an important part of the office. I am
mindful not only of preserving executive powers for myself, but for
predecessors as well. And that's why I made the decision.
Q Are
you troubled by the appearance, sir? Are you troubled by the
appearance of that pardon, sir?
THE
PRESIDENT: I was troubled by the decision the President
made. I would not have made the decision. I would
not have made that decision. But, nevertheless, he was the
President; he had the right to do so, to make that decision, and he
did. And I'm going to protect that privilege not only for
me, but for future presidents as well.
Q Is
it a quid pro quo --
THE
PRESIDENT: I don't know about that. It's going to
be up for a good journalist to figure that out -- like you, Roberts.
Q I'm
just wondering, sir, if you're taking a look at the path that's been
laid and said, it walks like a duck.
THE
PRESIDENT: It what -- it walks like
what? (Laughter.)
Q Thank
you, sir.
END 2:12
P.M. EST
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