[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: GEORGE W. BUSH (2001, Book I)]
[June 15, 2001]
[Pages 669-670]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Departure From Goteborg and an Exchange With Reporters
June 15, 2001

    The President. Good morning. Thank you all very much for coming. 
Laura and I have had a fantastic trip here to Sweden, and we want to 
thank all the folks at our Embassy for working hard to make our trip go 
so well. First, I want to make sure you meet your boss, and that's the 
Secretary of State, Colin Powell, who's 
doing a fantastic job for America. I want to thank Ambassador Lyndon 
Olson and his wife, Kay, 
for their hospitality and their service to the United States of America. 
They have served our country with distinction and class, and we're very 
grateful. I want to thank Bruce Carter for his 
hard work to make sure our trip went so well. And I want to thank 
Gillian Milonovic for her work, as well. 
[Applause] Gillian has got a few supporters out there.
    Before we come around and shake your hand and thank you, I do want 
to talk about a piece of good news that we got out of our United States 
Senate yesterday. Yesterday the Senate overwhelmingly voted for an 
education bill that I had submitted to the Congress. It is a piece of 
legislation that will reform public education in America. It is a 
meaningful, real reform.

[[Page 670]]

    I want to thank Senator Kennedy and 
Senator Gregg for their bipartisan cooperation. I 
urge the conferees from the House and the Senate to act quickly on this 
legislation, so that America can say we put the reforms in place and we 
can truly say that no child in our country will be left behind.
    I'm sure you've read about the so-called divisiveness in Washington. 
In short order, we have passed meaningful tax reform, and we are now on 
our way to meaningful education reform. And I'm so proud of the 
accomplishments not only of the administration but also of the United 
States Congress.
    And I'm proud of your service to America, as well. You stand tall 
for a great country, and for that we are very grateful.
    God bless you all, and God bless America.

Education Reform Legislation

    Q. Mr. President, are you sorry you didn't get vouchers?
    The President. I'm very pleased. It's a great piece of legislation.

Note: The President spoke at 7:48 a.m. at Landvetter Airport. A tape was 
not available for verification of the content of these remarks.