For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 21, 2001
Radio Address by the President to the Nation
The Oval Office
Listen to the President's
Remarks
THE
PRESIDENT: Good morning. As you hear this I am in
Canada for the Summit of the Americas; joined by leaders of 33 other
democratic nations. Only one country in the western
hemisphere is not represented because that country, Cuba, is the only
one that is not yet a democracy.
Democracy's
progress in our part of the world is not total, but it is
remarkable. We live in a hemisphere defined by the ideas and
aspirations of freedom. Some 800 million people live in the
Americas; 11 million of them live under dictatorship.
We are
pleased that many countries in the Americas join us in passing a
resolution this week at the UN Commission on Human Rights; they have
called upon Cuba to respect the rights of its citizens. We
know that for the people of Cuba their day of freedom will come.
The future
of our country is closely tied to the future of our
hemisphere. Many Americans trace their roots to other parts
of the Americas, ties that have enriched our culture. Many
American businesses are finding new markets and opportunities in the
Americas, which creates jobs at home, and promotes economic growth
abroad. And all Americans benefit when our closest neighbors are
peaceful, stable, and enjoy stronger economies.
The forces
of democracy in our hemisphere are strong, but they are threatened by
poverty, and illiteracy, and the drug trade. So at this Summit we are
discussing a very practical agenda to strengthen democracy. We must
tear down the barriers of ignorance and illiteracy that limit the
ambitions of so many children in our hemisphere, and feed their
frustrations.
We will
work with our neighbors to find ways to give all our children quality
schools, because learning and literacy are the foundations for
development and democracy.
We must
make new efforts to confront the problem of illegal
drugs. Our country is committed to reducing the demand for
drugs at home, and we must help other countries fight the supply of
drugs at their source.
And we must
renew our commitment to free trade. The people of Canada,
Mexico and the United States have benefited greatly from the North
American Free Trade Agreement. NAFTA has created good jobs
in all three nations. Now we must extend those opportunities
to all with a free trade agreement for the entire western
hemisphere. This will be good for American workers from
farmers and ranchers, to high-tech entrepreneurs. It will also be good
for the poor in other countries, increasing their wages and
opportunities. This is an agenda
that stretches far beyond our borders.
But when I
return to Washington tomorrow the most pressing business concern, some
long overdue reforms here in our own country. Early next
week my plan to reform our public schools is expected to come up for
debate in the Senate. It is the best chance we have had for
meaningful education reform in a generation, and we must not waste it.
Education
reform must be a bipartisan effort. I have reached out to
members of Congress in both parties and we have achieved a broad
consensus on major reforms. Yet the goal here is not just to
pass legislation, it is to pass meaningful legislation. And
some principles cannot be compromised. The final bill must
have strong accountability for our schools, accountability developed by
states and local jurisdictions. And for parents with children in
failing schools we must offer options. No parent should be
left powerless and no child left helpless in a system that is not doing
the job it is supposed to do.
There is a
lot going on in Washington and in the World; a summit, a tax relief
debate, major education reform. But few things are as
important as giving all our children the tools of
learning. I hope you will support my education reform
plan. And I hope you encourage your senators to do the
same.
Thank you
for listening.
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