Home > 2001 Presidential Documents > pd05mr01 Exchange With Reporters During a Tour of Control Concepts Corporation in...pd05mr01 Exchange With Reporters During a Tour of Control Concepts Corporation in...
tax relief pumped adrenalin into troubled economies. I saw the same
thing happen in Texas when I proposed, fought for, and signed meaningful
tax relief.
More than half the States have reduced taxes in each and every one
of the past 3 years. Governors deserve more credit than you get when it
comes to the prosperity of our country. The surging growth we've seen in
States that have reduced taxes gives an
[[Page 344]]
answer to the people who say we cannot afford tax cuts. You've shown we
can't afford not to cut taxes.
I look forward to this discussion today to discuss how best to
devolve authority back to the States. Real change comes from the bottom
up, not the top down. The genius of the American system has been to let
that change flow upward, from neighborhoods to cities to States and then
to the Federal Government. We need to keep that path open, to give
Government a human face and bring decisionmaking closer to the people. I
am going to rely upon my friends, the Governors.
I look forward to being in constant contact with you. You see, you
bring common sense to the political debate. You're dedicated servants.
You respect the will of the people. Our country is better off for your
service.
Governor Glendening.
Note: The President spoke at 10:55 a.m. in the East Room at the White
House. In his remarks, he referred to former Governors John Ashcroft of
Missouri, Tommy G. Thompson of Wisconsin, and Christine T. Whitman of
New Jersey, currently Attorney General, Secretary of Health and Human
Services, and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,
respectively; and Gov. Parris N. Glendening of Maryland, chair, National
Governors' Association (NGA). The transcript released by the Office of
the Press Secretary also included the remarks of Governor Glendening and
Gov. John Engler of Michigan, vice chair, NGA.
<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
[frwais.access.gpo.gov]
[Page 344-345]
Monday, March 5, 2001
Volume 37--Number 9
Pages 335-396
Week Ending Friday, March 2, 2001
Memorandum on the Interagency Working Group on Federalism
February 26, 2001
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
Subject: Interagency Working Group on Federalism
It is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Establishment. There is established the Interagency
Working Group on Federalism (the ``Working Group'').
Section 2. Membership.
(a) The Working Group shall comprise the following officials:
(1) Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, who shall
serve as Chairman of the Working Group;
(2) Director, Domestic Policy Council, who shall serve as Vice
Chairman of the Working Group;
(3) Secretary of the Treasury, or an appropriate designee
thereof;
(4) Attorney General, or an appropriate designee thereof;
(5) Secretary of the Interior, or an appropriate designee
thereof;
(6) Secretary of Agriculture, or an appropriate designee
thereof;
(7) Secretary of Commerce, or an appropriate designee thereof;
(8) Secretary of Labor, or an appropriate designee thereof;
(9) Secretary of Health and Human Services, or an appropriate
designee thereof;
(10) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, or an
appropriate designee thereof;
(11) Secretary of Transportation, or an appropriate designee
thereof;
(12) Secretary of Energy, or an appropriate designee thereof;
(13) Secretary of Education, or an appropriate designee thereof;
(14) Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or an appropriate designee
thereof;
(15) Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or an
appropriate designee thereof;
(16) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, or an
appropriate designee thereof;
(17) Counsel to the President;
(18) Assistant to the President for Economic Policy;
(19) Assistant to the President, Office of Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives, or an appropriate designee thereof;
(20) Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice
President, or an appropriate designee thereof;
(21) Deputy Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental
Affairs; and
[[Page 345]]
(22) Such other officials of executive departments and agencies
as the President may, from time to time, designate.
Section 2. Meetings of the Working Group. The Assistant to the
President for Domestic Policy or the Director, Domestic Policy Council,
may convene and preside over meetings of the Working Group.
Section 3. Functions. The principal functions of the Working Group
are to:
(a) Identify initiatives that promote principles of Federalism, such
as:
(1) Federal endeavors which may more appropriately be carried
out by State or local authorities;
(2) Opportunities for flexible funding streams, regulatory
waivers, and other opportunities that increase State and
local flexibility, innovation, and accountability;
(3) Measures for improving Federal responsiveness to State and
local concerns; and
(4) Enforcement of rules, orders, and procedures that advance
Federalism.
(b) Draft a new Executive Order on Federalism, which will require
departments and agencies in the executive branch to adhere to principles
of Federalism;
(c) Consult, as appropriate, with State and local officials on
issues pertaining to Federalism, including, but not limited to, the
issuance of the new Executive Order on Federalism; and
(d) Produce a report to the President on recommendations for
promoting principles of Federalism no later than 6 months after the
issuance of this directive.
George W. Bush
<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
[frwais.access.gpo.gov]
[Page 345-346]
Monday, March 5, 2001
Volume 37--Number 9
Pages 335-396
Week Ending Friday, March 2, 2001
Remarks Prior to a Cabinet Meeting and an Exchange With Reporters
February 26, 2001
The President. I want to thank our Cabinet for coming in today.
Amongst a variety of topics, one of which is going to be--we're going to
talk about the budget and my speech tomorrow night to the Congress. And
I want to thank all of the Cabinet officers for their hard work in
helping us prepare a realistic budget that is going to enable our Nation
to meet its priorities and at the same time not only set aside money for
contingencies and pay down debt but to leave enough money left over so
that people can get a real, substantial tax relief package that they
will feel.
I would be glad to answer some questions.
Upcoming Address to Congress
Q. Mr. President, in your speech tomorrow night, what will be your
message to the American people, and will you begin addressing reforms in
the Social Security system?
The President. Of course, we'll be talking about Social Security.
Secondly, I will be making the case as to why our budget makes sense for
the country and for the people who pay the bills of our country. It is a
commonsense approach to what our Nation ought to do with the tax
revenues that are coming into the Treasury.
Q. Do you expect to propose Social Security reforms this year?
The President. I will see.
Miami Herald Florida Recount
Q. Mr. President, what are your thoughts about the final Florida
recount that put you over from the Vice President, and what do you say
to those who now have to call you the legitimate President that didn't
call you that? [Laughter]
The President. Good. [Laughter] Hopefully, all the focus on the past
is over with. It's time to move forward. And tomorrow night's speech is
a part of moving forward. We've worked hard here in this administration
to reach out to people that may not have supported me. I think we're
making pretty good progress to say that the discussions that take place
around this table, for example, are what's best for America, not what's
best for a political party but what's best for the country.
Upcoming Address to Congress
Q. Sir, in your speech, will you have specific areas in the budget
where spending will slow down, and will you specify those areas in your
speech?
The President. No. In my speech I will talk about the budget. And in
the budget is
[[Page 346]]
where people will see all the particulars. If I tried to review every
particular in the budget, I would set the all-time record for the amount
of time in front of the Congress. And as you know, I'm the kind of
person who likes to try to get to the point. I will spend enough time
speaking so that people will understand where I'm coming from but not
too long so they go to sleep.
Q. Mr. President, you've acknowledged that you're going to have to
make cuts to the budget to some extent. What do you say to those who are
saying that you're telling the American people, essentially, they can
have their cake and eat it, too?
The President. What I'm going to say to the American people is that,
had we kept spending at the rate we were spending last year, there would
be no surplus, that the size of growth in the Federal budget that--and
the budget we inherited was way too high, that we can meet our needs by
slowing down the rate of growth in our budget. But it requires a
President to set priorities. And I'm going to set clear priorities in
the budget.
I readily concede some appropriators may not like the fact that
we're asking for there to be fiscal sanity in the Federal budget, but
that's one of the reasons I became the President, because I said, ``Give
us a chance, and we will have fiscal sanity in our budget.'' And I'll
look forward to making the case.
The people are going to hear in plain spoken words why I believe,
strongly believe, when we meet priorities, pay down debt, protect Social
Security, and as importantly, make sure that people get some of their
own money back so to make sure that the economy is strong, help people
pay for high energy bills, to help people manage their own personal
debt, we need to have tax relief--tax relief that the people can feel.
And I will make the case tomorrow night that it's within our grasp to do
so. And people will hear as plainly as I can say it what the facts are.
Q. It sounds like your speech will be shorter than ones we're used
to in the last 8 years. [Laughter]
The President. I don't know. [Laughter] It depends on how loud you
clap.
Note: The President spoke at 1:07 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these
remarks.
<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
[frwais.access.gpo.gov]
[Page 346-347]
Monday, March 5, 2001
Volume 37--Number 9
Pages 335-396
Week Ending Friday, March 2, 2001
Proclamation 7408--American Red Cross Month, 2001
February 26, 2001
By the President of the United States
of America
A Proclamation
The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton, a woman
selflessly devoted to the needs of humanity. Many of the Red Cross's
guiding principles--compassion, courage, character, and civic duty--are
timeless ideals shared by the people of the United States.
Chartered and authorized by the Congress to act in times of need,
the American Red Cross serves our Nation and the world, providing
compassionate assistance to people afflicted by personal, local,
national, or international disasters. Every day, millions of Red Cross
volunteers and employees follow in Clara Barton's footsteps by providing
essential services to people in their communities.
For more than 120 years, Americans have relied on the expertise of
the American Red Cross in disaster relief. Last year, the Red Cross
helped people during devastating wildfires in New Mexico and Montana and
in communities hit by massive ice storms in Nebraska, Arkansas, and
across the Midwest. Volunteers respond to an estimated 63,000 disasters
each year and help millions of people during trying times of loss. The
American Red Cross also saves lives long before tragedy strikes by
helping individuals and entire communities learn to prepare for
disasters.
The educational information distributed by the American Red Cross
helps people feel safe at home, at work, at school, and at play. Last
year, the Red Cross trained nearly 12 million people in lifesaving CPR
and first aid, in the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDS),
on HIV/AIDS education, and in lifeguarding and water safety. Many people
also know about the Red Cross because of the organization's blood
collection drives. In 2000, more than 6.3 million units of blood were
collected from 4 million generous blood donors.
[[Page 347]]
Under its charter, the American Red Cross is entrusted to deliver
emergency messages and provide vital services for military members and
their families. Staff members deploy with our Armed Forces to provide
emergency communications and a caring presence to service men and women
separated from their families. Almost 40,000 Red Cross volunteers work
at more than 100 military sites here and around the world.
Through the years, the American Red Cross has reached out to people
worldwide, preventing and relieving the most desperate cases of human
suffering caused by crises abroad. For families in need right now--in
Other Popular 2001 Presidential Documents Documents:
|
| GovRecords.org presents information on various agencies of the United States Government. Even though all information is believed to be credible and accurate, no guarantees are made on the complete accuracy of our government records archive. Care should be taken to verify the information presented by responsible parties. Please see our reference page for congressional, presidential, and judicial branch contact information. GovRecords.org values visitor privacy. Please see the privacy page for more information. |
 |