[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: GEORGE W. BUSH (2001, Book I)]
[June 5, 2001]
[Pages 613-615]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks to Habitat for Humanity Supporters in Tampa
June 5, 2001

    Thank you very much. Mel, thank you very 
much. I'm so honored Mel agreed to become the Cabinet Secretary of HUD. 
He brings a fresh look and a true spirit of compassion to the job, plus 
he's a Floridian. [Laughter] He's going to make a big difference.
    It's great to be here with the Lieutenant Governor. Tell Governor Bush, I hope he 
slept in well. [Laughter] Here the rest of us are out working for a 
better Florida and a better America. [Laughter]
    I'm so honored to be here with members of the congressional 
delegation Davis, Miller, 
Putnam, and Young. 
Thank you, Congressmen, for being here, and I look forward to flying 
back to Washington with you today.
    Millard, it is an honor to be here with 
you. I talk about soldiers in the armies of compassion; Millard is the 
general, and Corporal Bush reported for duty today. [Laughter] I did run 
into Sergeant Doris Meyer. [Laughter] I can 
barely lift my arm. [Laughter] What a great, great honor it was to be 
here with Roger and the leadership of Habitat 
for this part of the State and all the volunteers, people who work hard, 
sweat hard, and end up the day with a beautiful smile on your face.
    I really wish I could spend more time building. It is one of these 
moments of life where you realize there is something greater than 
yourself in life and that you get the joy of helping somebody help 
themselves.

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    Johana, thank you and your family for 
allowing for this invasion of your privacy. But it is important for 
America to see the fact that, one, you'll own a home, and two, that 
you're willing to work for it. And as importantly, there are hundreds of 
other Americans who are willing to stand side by side with you so that 
you can enjoy one of the great benefits of America--owning your own 
property, having a piece of the future of America--so that your future 
and the future of your ninos is very hopeful. And that's what America is 
about. This is the land of hope and promise and opportunity. And as 
importantly, it is a land of compassionate people.
    I like to tell people that I wish I knew the law that I could sign 
that would make people love one another. That's not the Government; that 
comes from something much greater than people, as you all know. This is 
a land of faith and compassion. It is a land of thousands and hundreds 
of people who ask the question when they wake up, what can I do to love 
my neighbor? That is not a Government function. That doesn't happen 
because of Government, and you and I know that. And that's why it is so 
important for our Nation to recognize the promise and power of faith in 
America. And that's why our Government should not fear working side by 
side with faith-based organizations. Quite the opposite: We ought to 
fund faith-based organizations so that they can do their duty in love 
and compassion.
    Oh, there are some in our society who are skeptical about funding 
faith. I hear it all the time in the Halls of Congress, ``We can't fund 
faith-based organizations.'' If that's the case, are they willing to 
eliminate the line item for programs such as Habitat for Humanity in the 
budget? I say they shouldn't. As a matter of fact, I'm submitting a 
budget next year that triples the amount of money available for programs 
such as Habitat for Humanity. Should we eliminate college scholarships 
where a child can go to a faith-based university? Should we say Medicaid 
or Medicare recipients can't take their Federal money to a religious 
hospital?
    To the skeptics of faith in our society, I say, come to Habitat 
Humanity building sites. Listen to the opening prayer, so eloquently 
delivered today by a fellow Methodist. Listen to the words that are said 
that inspire people to take an extra step to help a neighbor in need.
    No, those who worry about faith in our society and Government's 
willingness to stand side by side with faith don't understand the power 
of faith and the promise of faith and the hope of faith. And if this 
Nation expects to fulfill its promise, we ought to welcome faith-based 
and community-based programs all throughout America, encourage them to 
flourish, ask others to come and join, call upon mentors who are willing 
to put their arm around a child in need, welcome faith-based programs 
into our prisons, who understand that when you change a heart, you 
change a man or a woman's life.
    No, this is a fabulous nation because of our people and the 
compassion buried in the hearts and souls of the American people. And 
it's such a huge honor to come to a site of love and a site of 
compassion and a site of care, to work side by side with fellow 
Americans on kind of a hot day--[laughter]--with one thing in mind, to 
help Johana and, therefore, help our society and help America continue 
to be the greatest country on the face of the Earth.
    I'm so honored to be here, thankful for the chance to work. And 
thank you all so very much for what you do.
    God bless.

Note: The President spoke at 9:15 a.m. at a building site. In his 
remarks, he referred to Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan of Florida; Millard 
Fuller, founder and president, Habitat for Humanity; Doris Meyer, house 
leader volunteer, and Roger Girson, chairman of the

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board, Hillsborough County Habitat for Humanity; and Johana Rodriguez, 
whose home the President helped build.