    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [April 7, 1991]
    [Page 341]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With
    President Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico in Houston, Texas
    April 7, 1991

        President Bush. Welcome, everybody. Are these things turned on?
    Because I just want to say, if they are, how pleased I am to see
    President Salinas, see him back here where--I think it's where we first
    met. He was coming in as President of Mexico, and I was coming in as
    President of the United States. We've had a strong friendship, and we're
    on common ground on these major issues. So, it's a special privilege for
    me to have him back here in Houston, Texas.

    Fast Track Authority Extension

        Q. Are you hoping to get momentum to get Fast Track through Congress
    here?
        The President. You're darn right. We're going to work; we're going
    all-out on that. And I'll have a little more to say about that later on.
    It is priority for the United States, the United States Government. And
    I'm going to do everything I can with the Congress to get this approved.
    And I mean all out, 100-percent commitment. So, no holding back at all.
        Q. President Salinas, do you think you can help?
        President Salinas. We'll do our share, the share that Mexico has to
    do within Mexico.

    [At this point, another group of journalists entered the room.]

        President Bush. As I say to the Mexican media how pleased we are to
    have President Salinas here in Houston, Texas, where we first met. We
    had the spirit of Houston then, and the spirit of Houston squared,
    revisited, and we've got important matters upon which we are working
    together. And I'm thinking particularly on this Fast Track authority for
    a free-trade agreement.
        And the United States is committed, our Government, and I'm going to
    work my heart out to have it passed. It's good for the United States,
    and I happen to believe it's also good for Mexico.

                        Note: President Bush spoke at 11:05 a.m. in the Crew
                            Ready Room at Ellington Field. President Salinas
                            spoke in Spanish, and his remarks were
                            translated by an interpreter. A portion of this
                            exchange could not be verified because the tape
                            was incomplete.