[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[January 14, 1992]
[Pages 83-84]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Presentation of a Natural Gas Powered Van and an Exchange 
With Reporters

January 14, 1992
    The President. Let me just make a couple of brief statements. Last 
April, as part of the national energy strategy, I signed an Executive 
order that established goals for greater energy efficiency in the 
Federal Government, and that included the use of alternative fuel 
vehicles in the Federal fleet.
    This van, driven over here and delivered by Secretaries Lujan and 
Watkins and then the able head of the GSA, Mr. Austin, uses compressed 
natural gas. And yesterday GSA announced that this year it will purchase 
from U.S. automakers 3,125 alternative fuel vehicles for use in the 
Federal fleet. This program demonstrates our continuing com-

[[Page 84]]

mitment to implementing the national energy strategy, which promotes 
energy conservation and environmentally sound energy initiatives.
    I am also pleased to announce that in our '93 budget, fiscal '93 
budget, I will include $15 million for the Department of Energy to 
assist other Government Agencies in purchasing alternative fuel 
vehicles. This should allow us to purchase over 5,000 alternative fuel 
vehicles next year.
    These actions will put us ahead of schedule for the purchases of 
alternative fuel vehicles as required by the Clean Air Act. And I was so 
pleased to learn about the delivery of this van over to the Department 
of the Interior that we used a slight Presidential prerogative and 
invite Secretary Lujan and Secretary Watkins and Administrator Austin to 
drive the van here for use in the White House fleet. So, we preempted 
one. But natural gas is a clean burning fuel. It's got a great future in 
this country, and here's but one more manifestation of that.
    Q. You're going to drive it, Mr. President?
    The President. What?
    Q.  Are you going to drive it?
    The President.  Yes, I've got my license. [Laughter]
    Q.  You haven't driven in years.
    The President. It doesn't matter, I have my license. I would like 
you to be witness before I get in there.
    Mr. Skinner. Looks good to me.

President's Health

    Q.  How come you can't sleep these nights?
    The President. What?
    Q. Jet lag?
    The President. Doing fine, Helen [Helen Thomas, United Press 
International]. Please don't worry about that.
    Q. I'm really worried.
    The President. You wake up at night. I'll tell you, it's crazy.
    Q. We're all worried.
    The President. All right, here we go.

[At this point, the President took the van for a test drive.]

Meeting With Earvin (Magic) Johnson

    Q. Mr. President, was Magic Johnson critical of your performance on 
AIDS?
    The President.  What?
    Q. Was Magic Johnson critical of what you've done so far?
    The President. Good, constructive suggestions, but very, very 
constructive. We had a very positive meeting. If he was, why, he didn't 
tell me that. But he left me some suggestions that we'll try to work on.

                    Note: The exchange began at 2:35 p.m. on the South 
                        Lawn at the White House.