    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [July 9, 2001]
    [Pages 832-834]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to America's Promise Participants
    July 9, 2001

        Thank you all very much, Marc. There is no
    more important goal for America than to make sure every person realizes
    the promise of our great land, and I want to thank the good folks of
    America's Promise for working tirelessly to make sure that goal reaches
    throughout all our country. My administration stands side by side with
    you.
        And here in Washington, we can help. It's important for the Congress
    to pass the education reform package to make sure no child gets left
    behind. It's important for Congress to pass a good and meaningful
    Patients' Bill of Rights to make sure all in America have got good
    access to health care. And it's important for America for Congress to
    pass my Faith-Based Initiative so that Government can stand side by side
    with the soldiers in the armies of compassion to make sure America's
    promise is rich and real for every citizen.
        I'm honored that the first chairman of America's Promise agreed to
    be our Nation's Secretary of State. He's
    doing a fantastic job for our country. Welcome, Mr. Secretary. Like me,
    he married well. [Laughter] Thank you for being here, Alma.
        I want to thank my friend Marc Racicot for
    being the chairman of the board. I want to thank Peter
    Gallagher. I welcome my friend the
    Governor of Maine, Angus King, for being
    here. I want to thank Ted Stevens and Connie
    Morella as well for being here--Members
    of the United States Congress. I want to thank the first lady of
    Michigan, Michelle Engler, for joining us as
    well. It is my honor to welcome to the Rose Garden Jackie Joyner-
    Kersee, as well as Bob. Thank you all, and thank you for being such a great
    supporter for America's Promise.
        I also want to thank the members of the board of directors, as well
    as the members of the Youth Leadership Team, 15 of our best in America
    who are here today. Please stand. [Applause] Just as I was receiving the
    organization's annual report, I also had an opportunity to say hello to
    the 15. And our country is in great hands when you look in the eyes of
    these 15 fantastic leaders. The record has been impressive, and the
    commitment has been deep. And I want to thank you, Marc, for continuing to challenge corporate America and
    individuals with the simple and urgent message: There's a need in every
    community, and a responsible society meets those needs.
        Today we're joined by several men and women from around the country
    who represent the promise of America's Promise:
        Mary Mahoney, the president and chief
    executive officer of Howard Johnson's. Where's Mary? Hi, Mary. Thank you
    for coming. She's been a mentor, and she's inspired employees at more
    than 500 hotels to serve as mentors. I want to thank you very much for
    your dedication.
        Leon Assael, the dean of College of
    Dentistry at the University of Kentucky, is here. Mr. Dean, where are
    you? Thank you for coming, Dean. They staffed a mobile dental van and
    asked volunteer faculty and students to serve more than 12,500
    disadvantaged students in Appalachia. Thank you for your service to the
    country.
        Reverend Clifford Barnett of Virginia's
    Brighton Rock AME Church. Thank you for coming, Reverend. He set up a
    safe haven for children to come to, a place of

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    worship, not only to find hot meals but to learn how to serve one
    another.
        Charlie Trotter of Trotter's Restaurant
    of Chicago. Hello, Charlie. The man not only serves good food, but every
    Groundhog Day he opens his kitchen to teach area youth and has sponsored
    some of his neighborhood youth through scholarship programs.
        I want to thank you all for coming. This is an example of the
    greatness of our country, where people ask the question, ``What can I do
    to help,'' and then not wait for some Government activity to take place
    but do it anyway in spite of Government. I want to thank you all for
    serving as fantastic examples, just like I want to thank Aisha
    Shaheen. Where is she? Aisha--there she is.
    Thank you so much for coming. She understands that service is a part of
    a successful life. Catch this: She teaches honors and advanced placement
    English, biology, and calculus to inner-city youngsters in the south
    central neighborhood of Los Angeles.
        We know what children need to succeed. They need mentors and role
    models like Aisha. They need to be healthy and educated and challenged
    to serve and challenged to love a neighbor just like they'd like to be
    loved themselves. And that's what America's Promise does.
        In many neighborhoods, what a child needs is a caring adult.
    Yesterday, flying down from Maine, Angus King, the Governor of that State, told me about a program that
    he's starting to implement, where this summer they're going to recruit
    30,000 mentors in the State of Maine, all aimed to surround the children
    of Maine with love, all aimed at understanding there's nothing more
    powerful than an individual that says to a child in need, ``Somebody
    cares for you. Somebody loves you.'' So Angus, I want to thank you for
    setting the example.
        My dream for America is for there to be mentors all over the
    country, in every neighborhood, in every community, where adults are
    able to say to a child, ``The America promise belongs to you, just as
    much as it does to anybody else.''
        The effort requires a broad-scaled strategy. That's why I was
    pleased to see that America's Promise has drawn 500 national partners
    and more than 550 State and local partners. And the effort really has
    just begun.
        So I want to thank America's Promise. I want to thank you for your
    love and compassion. And I want to thank the thousands all across our
    land who are working hard to make America a fabulous country for all.
        Now, there are some things that Congress can do as well. First, this
    Congress needs to get a education reform bill on my desk before the
    summer recess. We had a bill pass out of the House by a broad margin, a
    bill pass out of the Senate by a broad margin. There is no need for
    further delay. It is time to get a good reform bill.
        This is a bill that says every child matters. We believe in setting
    high expectations for all children in America. We believe every child
    can learn. But we also understand that educational excellence is found
    at local levels. We pass unprecedented amount of power out of Washington
    to local jurisdictions, and in return for Federal dollars, which we
    increase, we expect results. We expect there to be a measurement so we
    can herald success and address failure before it's too late.
        Secondly, the Congress must act on a Patients' Bill of Rights, a
    good Patients' Bill of Rights, one that recognizes patients are
    important, not lawyers, a Patients' Bill of Rights that encourages
    quality health care without encouraging frivolous and junk lawsuits that
    will threaten the very existence of an important health care policy in
    America. And so I urge--I urge Congress to bring a reasonable bill to my
    desk. We've made great progress. There's broad agreement.
        For example, a heart patient should be able to see a cardiologist he
    needs without

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    going through a gatekeeper, or a woman should be able to see her
    gynecologist without asking permission, or a parent should always be
    able to choose their child's pediatrician. And anyone denied health care
    by an HMO ought to have the right to an immediate appeal, with the
    outcome determined by doctors, not HMO bureaucrats or trial lawyers.
        We've got the makings for a good bill, and Congress ought to act and
    bring me a bill so I can sign it before the August recess.
        And finally, there is no more important initiative than the faith-
    based program that I've submitted to the United States Congress. It's
    important because Government can't make people love one another. But
    what Government can do is stand side by side with those who do love and
    those who are compassionate. I can't think of anything more important
    for our Government, to recognize the power of community and faith-based
    groups in our society. If the goal is to make sure no one is left
    behind, let us stand side by side with the soldiers in the armies of
    compassion who have taken on that call themselves.
        So I urge Congress to not get stuck in the process but to think
    about the results and to pass meaningful legislation that will allow and
    encourage and foster faith-based groups all across America to help
    people in need. I absolutely know that the great strength of the country
    lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens, and Congress must
    recognize that by enabling such faith-based programs to flourish all
    across the country.
        So there are things we can do here in Washington to help. But
    there's nothing more important than our citizens. And America's Promise
    does a fabulous job of cultivating and gathering and nurturing the
    compassion of America. It's an honor to be the President of a country
    with so many loving people.
        I understand that societies change one heart, one soul at a time,
    that here in Washington we tend to think all we've got to do is pass a
    law and everything will be fine. But that's not how it works. Cultures
    and hope change as a result of our compassion in America seizing the
    moment. And that's what America's Promise is about.
        So Marc, thank you very much for bringing
    the report. I'm honored to receive it. I encourage people all across our
    country to find a way to help, to become involved with making sure
    America's Promise is, in fact--reaches its hope all throughout our
    society. For those of you who are looking for a way to help our country,
    call America's Promise; say you want to help. And I can assure you,
    we'll sign you up.
        It's now my honor to sign a resolution, like other Presidents have
    done.
        God bless you all, and God bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:25 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to former Gov. Marc Racicot of
    Montana, chairman of the board, Peter A. Gallagher, president and chief
    executive officer, Michelle Engler, board member, and Jackie Joyner-
    Kersee, spokesperson, America's Promise; Alma Powell, wife of Secretary
    of State Colin L. Powell; and Ms. Joyner-Kersee's husband, Bobby Kersee.
    Following his remarks, the President signed a declaration entitled
    ``Fulfilling the Promise of America.''