[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[April 17, 1991]
[Pages 388-389]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Signing the Federal Energy Management Executive Order
April 17, 1991

    The President. Before we get started on the Cabinet business, I want 
to just conduct another piece of important business. As you know, one of 
our key goals is the implementation of the national energy strategy.
    And I'm very pleased to sign this Executive order today that directs 
all the Federal Agencies to take whatever appropriate action is 
necessary to reduce their energy use by at least 20 percent by the year 
2000 and reduce fuel consumption by at least 10 percent by the year 
1995. This order is a component, an important component, of the national 
energy strategy. And it demon-

[[Page 389]]

strates our commitment to a balanced approach for achieving an energy 
future that is secure, that is efficient, and that is environmentally 
sound.
    The savings come from reduced energy use in Federal buildings and 
facilities, fuel savings in the whole Federal vehicle fleet, increased 
reliance on alternative fuels and alternative-fueled vehicles, and use 
of other energy-efficient products. Such actions would then save up to 
an estimated $800 million per year by our target year 2000, the 
equivalent of up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. So, achieving these 
important and ambitious goals is part of our strategy for enhancing our 
overall energy security. And doing so is commonsense business 
management, I might add.
    So, I wanted to do this with all the Cabinet here to ask for your 
support on all of this, hoping that this initiative will also encourage 
the private sector to undertake similar actions. An awful lot can be 
done just by the actions that I've outlined here.
    So now, Jim, many thanks to you for your key role in the energy 
strategy. I will sign this.

[At this point, the President signed the Executive order.]

    It's all yours. All right. That's done.

Assistance for Iraqi Refugees

    Q. Mr. President, are you willing to relax the sanctions to allow 
Iraq to sell oil and supposedly to get food and supplies for the Kurdish 
refugees?
    The President. Look, I don't want to take any questions.
    I will say that the priority is, get the relief to these people that 
are suffering. Then we'll talk about that. But this relief effort will 
go and must go smoothly. And then we can consider extraneous matters, 
matters that may be important to Iraq. But our priorities--the world's 
priorities--are set. And they say, let these refugees be settled on the 
flat places temporarily, and let them be fed, let medicine get in there.
    And then when that is done and everything's done peacefully and 
harmoniously, then I might be willing to consider something else. But 
we're not going to--we're going to be sure what comes first. And what 
comes first is taking care of these people that have been deprived of 
their homes and that are terrified and also that are suffering very 
much. So, that's the order in which we will address these problems.
    Thank you all very much.

                    Note: The President spoke at 2:35 p.m. in the 
                        Cabinet Room at the White House. In his remarks, 
                        he referred to Secretary of Energy James D. 
                        Watkins. The Executive order is listed in 
                        Appendix E at the end of this volume.