    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [January 5, 2002]
    [Pages 5-15]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Townhall Meeting in Ontario, California
     January 5, 2002

        The President. Thank you all very much. Mario, muchas gracias por tu palabras. Thank you all for
    coming.

    [At this point, the President spoke in Spanish, and no translation was
    provided.]

        Thank you for letting me come. Thank you for taking time out of your
    fin de semana para hablar con el Presidente. I'm honored that so many
    came out for this weekend. It gives me a great chance to share some
    thoughts with you as we begin a new year that I believe is going to be a
    fantastic year for America. And I look forward to answering some
    questions you may have.
        I want to thank your Governor for being here.
    Governor Gray Davis kindly took time out of his schedule for coming.
    Governor, thank you for coming. I want to thank some of the members of
    the mighty--and I mean, mighty--congressional delegation from the State
    of California. We've got Gary Miller, whose
    district this is. Gary,

    [[Page 6]]

    thank you for coming. David Dreier, chairman of
    the Rules Committee--David, thank you for being here.
        David and I worked closely together to get
    a trade bill out of the House of Representatives. He knows what I know,
    that trade is good for creating jobs in the State of California. Fearful
    people, people who don't trust the ability of our entrepreneurs, build
    walls around America. Confident people tear them down, and I'm confident
    in the American spirit. I'm confident that the entrepreneurs of our
    country--Hispanic, Anglo, African American--compete with anybody,
    anyplace, anytime, and let's trade freely.
        Congressman Calvert, Congressman Issa are with us as well. Thank you two for coming. And
    finally, Congressman Jerry Lewis is with us
    today.
        I notice the people in the uniforms here applauding a little louder.
    They understand that Congressman Lewis plays an
    incredibly important role when it comes to appropriating monies for the
    United States military. There is no--he's been strong on the defense of
    America. I look forward to working with Jerry Lewis in the next budget
    cycle to make sure that the defense of this Nation is the number one
    priority of the budget of the United States.
        I want to thank Rosario Marin, the
    Treasurer of the United States, for being here. It's nice to be back in
    your neighborhood, Rosario. I want to thank Hector Barreto, the Administrator of the SBA; Ruben
    Barrales, who works for me in the White
    House. Thank you for coming, Ruben.
        I want to thank our host organizations, the Latin Business
    Association, the Ontario Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic
    Chamber of Commerce of Orange County, and the Latino Coalition, for your
    sponsorship. One of the things that I am most proud of, of our Nation,
    is the number of Latinos who own their own business, the number of
    Latinos who really work hard to access the American Dream.
        The growth of Latino-owned small businesses in California is
    astounding. It is amazing how many people now can say, ``I am a proud
    business owner.'' To me, that is what America is all about, somebody who
    has a dream, somebody who works hard and can say to themselves and their
    community, ``This is my business. This is something I own, and nobody
    can take it away from me.''
        And the job of Government is always to remember the importance of
    the small business and the entrepreneurial dream. The job of Government
    is not to try to create wealth. The job of Government is to create an
    environment in which people are willing to take risks to realize their
    dream. It's to educate people. It's to provide opportunity and then make
    the playing field as level as it is and see who can succeed or not in
    the great country called America.
        This has been an amazing year for Laura and me. Some things occurred
    that we expected. Some things happened that we didn't expect. I'm going
    to talk about one thing we were able to anticipate and one we weren't.
        First, I will tell you that nearly a year ago I hosted a group of
    business leaders to Austin, Texas, before I had become sworn in as the
    President. And leaders all around the country came and made it very
    clear that our economy was pretty darn slow, and I knew we needed to do
    something about it, and I'm going to talk about that in a second. So it
    was expected that there would be unemployment on the rise, expected that
    after a period of great prosperity, the economy would slow down. And we
    took some action that I'll describe here in a second.
        Obviously, what was not expected was what took place on September
    the 11th, and we're doing something about that, as well. This great land
    of ours made a clear statement that we will not let terror stand, that
    those who inflicted damage on America would pay a severe price.

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        We learned some interesting lessons, that we're now vulnerable at
    home. I remember giving a speech to a group of high school seniors right
    after September the 11th, and it dawned on me in the middle of this talk
    that this is the first high school class that--in a long time, that is
    graduating in a time when somebody is attacking America.
        These evil ones still want to hit us. But after September the 11th,
    America is now ready. We're after them. Any hint of somebody wanting to
    harm our country, we're acting. We've got thousands of FBI agents
    chasing down every single lead. We respect people's constitutional
    rights, and we will continue to do so. But if we think somebody is
    fixing to hurt the American people, we will move in this country. We're
    now on an alert because of September the 11th. And I want to thank the
    police officers who are here. And I want to thank whoever--if any FBI
    agents are here, and all law enforcement officials in the State of
    California and all across our country who are working endless hours to
    make sure with gather any information possible to protect the American
    people.
        My most important job is the security and safety of the American
    people. Every morning I wake up, and when I wake up, I go to the Oval
    Office. I'm kind of an early morning guy, by the way. I take Barney and
    Spot out. [Laughter] They take a good look at the Rose Garden--
    [laughter]--up close and personal. [Laughter] And then I head into the
    Oval Office, and I read about the potential threats to America. And one
    of my first meetings is to visit with the head of the FBI, and my
    question every morning is, ``Mr. Director, what are you doing about this
    threat? What's happening with this lead? Are you taking care of this
    piece of business?''
        The culture of our law enforcement has changed to the point where
    they now know what I know, that we've got to do everything in our power
    to protect the American people. But the best way to secure the homeland
    of America is to find the evil ones wherever they try to hide and bring
    them to justice. And that's exactly what the United States military--
    [applause].
        I am very proud of the U.S. military. They've done exactly what
    we've asked them to do. For those of you who wear the uniform, thank
    you. For those of you who have got loved ones who wear the uniform,
    thank you as well. We're making steady progress in Afghanistan. The evil
    ones awakened a mighty giant. You know, we're a compassionate people,
    and we're a decent people, but if you come after us, you will learn that
    you have made a big mistake.
        It seems like the more TV channels there are, the more anxious
    people become on TV. But I want to remind my fellow citizens, we've only
    been at war for 90 days. That's not a very long period of time. But in
    90 days, we've made incredible progress. The Al Qaida, the Usama bin
    Laden group, can't claim Afghanistan as a
    haven anymore.
        You know, they were like parasites. I know we've got some ranchers
    and farmers here; you understand what a parasite is. Parasites try to
    take over the host, and if there's enough parasites and if they've been
    there long enough, the host itself becomes ill. The host no longer is in
    a position of power in Afghanistan; the Taliban has been routed. But you
    know what my most meaningful memory has been recently? And that has been
    the joy on the face of women and young girls in Afghanistan as they have
    been liberated from one of the most brutal regimes.
        We're taking action. We're taking action against evil people,
    because this great Nation of many religions understands, our war is not
    against Islam or against faith practiced by the Muslim people; our war
    is a war against evil. This is clearly a case of good versus evil, and
    make no mistake about it, good will prevail.

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        The American people are patient, very patient, and for that, I'm
    grateful. I appreciate so very much the fact that the Americans from all
    walks of life have stepped back and have figured out that this is going
    to require a lot of effort and energy to succeed in our war against
    terror. And I want to thank you for your patience. We're now in a
    dangerous phase of the first front in the war against terror. Because of
    the terrain in Afghanistan and because there's still hostile elements,
    we're pursuing our objective cave by cave. You see, the people that tend
    to send young, innocent boys to their death in the name of Allah want to
    save their own skins by hiding in caves. And I've told the world, just
    like I've told our military, we will do whatever it takes to bring them
    to justice. They think they can run, and they think they can hide,
    because they think this country is soft and impatient. But they are
    going to continue to learn the terrible lesson that says, don't mess
    with America.
        This conflict will have its casualties as we pursue our objective.
    And we mourn for Sergeant Nathan Chapman, and we pray with his family
    for God's blessings on them. Nathan lost his life yesterday, but I can
    assure the parents and loved ones of Nathan Chapman that he lost his
    life for a cause that is just and important. And that cause is the
    security of the American people, and that cause is the cause of freedom
    and a civilized world.
        Our hunt for any terrorist activity is not just confined to
    Afghanistan. I truly believe this is a defining moment in history, and
    this country must lead. We must seize the moment. We must make our
    country and other countries that embrace freedom a place where children
    can grow up in peace and be able to realize their dreams. And therefore,
    we must find terror where it exists and pull it out by the roots and
    bring it to justice. Terror is evil, and wherever evil exists, the free
    nations of the world must come together in a massive coalition that
    says, terror will not stand. And the United States is ready to lead that
    coalition, not only in Afghanistan but wherever we find terror.
        And we're making good progress. We're cutting off their money.
    There's going to be all kinds of fronts in this war on terror, and one
    of them is the financial front. They like to move money around, and
    obviously, in order to fight a war against the United States or any of
    our allies or anybody who embraces freedom, you've got to have money.
    And so they set up front groups, groups that sound good, the such-and-
    such foundation for making sure people have got a good life. And yet
    what ends up happening is, a chunk of that money ends up in the pockets
    of evil people who don't respect civilization, who don't like freedom,
    who resent the fact that men and women should be free. And so, we're
    working with our allies in our coalition to cut off their money. And
    we're beginning to have an effect. We're beginning to have good progress
    about finding who is funding them, and we're chasing the money all the
    way to the source. And when we find somebody in some country who is
    writing checks on behalf of groups of people that would hurt us, we're
    asking that country to hold them accountable.
        You see, there's no shades of gray in this war against terror.
    Either you're with the United States, or you're not with the United
    States. And because this Nation has shown such strong resolve and unity,
    because we're patient, and because we're going to be successful in the
    first theater, a lot of the fence-sitters or those who would like to be
    on the fence are beginning to realize it's in their best interests to be
    with us.
        The Nation is united, and there is a resolve and a spirit that is
    just so fantastic to feel. And I am obviously grateful to be the
    President of such a strong and vibrant land.
        We have responded to the issues abroad with unanimity and clarity of
    purpose and

    [[Page 9]]

    resolve. And that's the way we should respond to problems here at home
    as well. We ought to come together to do the right thing. We need to
    focus on asking the question, what's the best thing for America? It's
    time to take the spirit of unity that has been prevalent when it comes
    to fighting the war and bring it to Washington, DC.
        The terrorists not only attacked our freedom, but they also attacked
    our economy. And we need to respond in unison. We ought not to revert to
    the old ways that used to dominate Washington, DC. The old ways is,
    ``What's more important, the country or my political party?'' I stand
    here as a proud party man, but let me tell you something: The country is
    far more important than the--[applause].
        We've made some good progress about working together. I'm getting
    ready to sign an education bill next week. It's a really good piece of
    legislation. I'm real proud of it. I want to thank the teachers who are
    here and the people who are concerned about educating our--making sure
    our public schools are the best they can be. And by the way, the
    cornerstone of that bill is that every child can learn--every child in
    America.
        And a lot of my friends in Midland, Texas, are going to be amazed
    when I stand up and say nice things about Ted Kennedy. [Laughter] He deserves it. He worked hard on this
    education bill. And I can proudly sign it, and I can proudly say I
    appreciate Senator Kennedy's strong work and input into making this bill
    a good bill.
        But there are troubling signs that the old way is beginning to creep
    into the people's minds in Washington. After all, it's an election year.
    It's tempting to revert back to the old ways. But America is better than
    that. We're better than that.
        This economic debate is troubling me. You see, I'm the kind of
    fellow who says, ``Let's work together and focus on results, not
    rhetoric. Let's do what's right for the people who have been hurt. We
    need to work and then share credit, not pass blame.''
        And there is no question that the attacks of September the 11th hurt
    our economy. I mean, there's no question about it. It was slow beginning
    last year; it started to recover a little bit; and then the attacks
    hurt. I mean, after all, who wouldn't think it would? The attacks
    affected the confidence of the American people. It affected our
    psychology. It makes sense that it affected our psychology.
        But we're recovering. And there are some good signs. But my attitude
    is, so long as any willing and able worker can't find work, we need to
    do something about it. The unemployment rate is 5.8 percent, but if
    you're unemployed, it's 100 percent for you.
        The principle I have been operating on is this: In tough times,
    people need a check to help them when they're unemployed, but what they
    need for the long term is a paycheck. And we ought to be asking the
    question, how do you create jobs in America?
        I do think we need to help those who have been affected by the
    attacks by expanding unemployment benefits, including help with health
    care costs. I think that makes sense, to help somebody whose life was
    severely affected, and we ought to do that, and we ought to make sure
    that we get that done. But I also understand that we need to ask the
    question, how do we expand jobs? What can we do to encourage investment
    so that employers are able to go out and provide more work for American
    people?
        I had the honor of meeting with JCM Corporation officials today.
    [Applause] As you can tell, they're here. [Laughter] Carlo Moyano--
    his daddy started the firm; he's now running
    it. I'm going to get it mixed up, but they had 10,000 square foot of
    warehouse; now they've got hundreds of thousands of square foot of
    warehouse. He's living the American Dream. This is a company that
    started in a garage. It's

    [[Page 10]]

    now a major manufacturer. He said the best thing Government can do is to
    provide incentives for the expansion of plant and equipment, because he
    understands what I understand: If you expand plant and equipment, you
    expand jobs.
        And he had asked the question, what about
    jobs? How do we create jobs? And when we ask that question, we've got to
    understand that the major job growth occurs in the small-business
    community in America; those are the creators of new jobs.
        And that's why, in the beginning of last year, I worked so hard to
    get the tax cut passed. That's why, because--let me explain. If you
    think the economy is going to slow down, the best way to recover is to
    let people have their own money in their pockets to spend, not the
    Government.
        Somebody told me the funniest thing. They said, ``There are some in
    Washington saying that the tax cut caused the recession.'' I don't know
    what economic textbook they're reading. [Laughter] The best way to come
    out of a recession is to say to the small-business person, ``We'll let
    you keep your own money.'' When we cut taxes on all rates, we said to
    the sole proprietor or the limited partner, ``It's your money. You spend
    it in order to expand the job base in America.''
        We have priorities in Washington. Defending our homeland is going to
    be a priority. A strong defense is a priority. But something that
    shouldn't be a priority is to raise your taxes. There's going to be
    people who say, ``We can't have the tax cut go through anymore.'' That's
    a tax raise. And I challenge their economics, when they say, ``Raising
    taxes will help the country recover.'' Not over my dead body will they
    raise your taxes.
        I'm confident that a new spirit can prevail in Washington. I hope
    people come together and do what's right for the American people. It's
    going to be a task--for some, it's kind of a steep hill. But I believe
    if that's what the American people want, it can happen. It's certainly
    what your President wants.
        I also want our country to continue to embrace the values that make
    our Nation so wonderful. I've always told people that I believe the
    great strength of our country lies not in our halls of government but in
    the hearts and souls of the American people.
        I got to see--running for President is certainly not a distant
    memory. [Laughter] It really puts you through the paces. But it's
    important because if you pay attention to what you see, you will begin
    to really see the strength of America. I see the strength of our country
    in our classrooms. I see the strength of our country in faith-based
    institutions that--of Christian faith, Jewish faith, Muslim faith, all
    of which exist to help people in need. It's the true strength of
    America.
        After September the 11th, many of our fellow countrymen took a step
    back and said, ``Is my life worth it now? Am I living my life the way
    that--in a worthwhile way?'' People have begun to assess their
    priorities. I've been pleased to read story after story about how moms
    and dads are beginning to realize the most important job they will ever
    have is to love their children with all their heart and all their soul.
        I love the story that came out of Michigan about the women of cover,
    of Muslim faith, who didn't feel comfortable about going to their home.
    And so Jewish and Christian groups, ladies' groups, went to the
    neighborhood and said, ``We'll walk you to the store,'' because the
    America we know is not one that castigates an individual based upon
    their religion. The America we know is a society that's open and free
    and a society that says, if you dream the big dream, you can realize it
    if you work hard. It's a society that says, you can worship the way you
    want to worship, and a society which says, you've got to love your
    neighbor just like you love yourself. That's the spirit of America that
    I know.

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        It's a million acts of kindness and compassion on a daily basis that
    define the true spirit and the true strength of America. We live in a
    blessed land. The values are great; the system is wonderful; but most of
    all, the people are the best in the world.
        Thank you for coming. God bless. Thank you all.
        I'll be glad to answer some questions. Now that I'm in California,
    I've got to walk around like a talk show host. [Laughter]

    California Water Resources

        Q. Mr. President, my name is Al Lopez. I'm a member of the Western
    Municipal Water District. Our agency works in cooperation with all the
    water agencies throughout the Inland Empire to provide adequate drinking
    water for our Inland Empire. California has to reduce its dependency on
    the Colorado River. Congressman Calvert is working very closely with
    legislation to reauthorize Cal-Fed, and we would hope that one of those
    projects would meet your support, especially for the Riverside-Corona
    theater that will provide much water to our Inland Empire for its
    economic base.
        The President. Thank you, sir. Tell Calvert
    to come on by and drop it off. [Laughter] Thank you very much. I
    appreciate your work. Listen, I understand water. I grew up in Midland,
    Texas. There you go. [Laughter] You remember how much water we didn't
    have there. [Laughter]
        Yes, sir, back in the back.

    Energy Policy

        Q. First, sir, a message from the crew that just recently returned
    from the U.S.S. Enterprise. My son-in-law was aboard that. From the last
    man and woman on that crew, they are honored to call you their Commander
    in Chief.
        The President. Okay.
        Q. And my question, sir, after you make Tommy Daschle go to his room
    for being bad, tell us something about your plans to end our dependency
    on foreign oil.
        The President. There you go. He brings up a very important point,
    because in order to make sure our economy remains strong and vital in
    the long run, we have got to have an energy plan. Over 50 percent of our
    energy comes from overseas. Fortunately, a lot of it comes from Canada.
    But a lot of it comes from the Middle East.
        And it seems like to me, we've got to do a couple of things: One,
    find more oil in an environmentally friendly way. I think we can do this
    without drilling off the coast of California. I know that we have got
    the technologies necessary to explore in places like Alaska without
    damaging the environment; the technologies have changed so dramatically.
        I know you all had a fright here in California. It's an indication
    of what could happen again. When you start running out of energy and
    demand is high, there's either going to be price spikes or shortages.
        I've worked with your Governor to try to help
    get through this situation. One of the things that California has done
    is, they have expedited permitting for plants driven by natural gas. But
    we better figure out where we're going to get the natural gas from in
    order to make sure that you've got ample electricity in the future, and
    therefore, we need to explore. And I repeat, we can do so without
    damaging our environment. I am absolutely confident of that.
        The other thing that's important to note is that in our own
    hemisphere, Mexico, which is obviously a vital neighbor, imports natural
    gas from the United States. So we've got to find more. We've got to find
    more not only for ourselves but to make sure our neighbor to the south
    is able to grow. There's nothing more important for America than for
    Mexico to be strong and vibrant and to have good growth.
        We also can do a better job of conservation. Governor Davis, the last time I met with him, reminded me that
    California has done a very good job of conservation, that you have been
    able to reduce dependency

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    by conserving better. And so we've got plans, an energy plan that passed
    the House, that's stuck in the Senate, that do provide incentives for
    better means to conserve.
        Thirdly, technology will help lead us away from dependency. I notice
    our Department of Energy was talking about a new automobile research
    plan to help develop a new fuel cell system for automobiles. It's
    coming. And the fundamental question is, how do we get from here to the
    day when the new technologies become market-accepted? And it starts with
    getting a plan out of the United States Congress. It passed the House;
    it's stuck in the Senate. It's time to get the bill moving and get it to
    my desk.
        Go ahead and yell it out. If I don't like the question, I'll just
    change it. [Laughter]

    Prayer

        Q. Mr. President, I'm a Navy chaplain, serving with the Marines in
    Twentynine Palms, California. I am also honored to have you as my
    Commander in Chief.
        The President. Do you have a question?
        Q. My question is very simple: How can we, as pastors, pray
    specifically for you and your family?
        The President. Well, first--thank you. I have--first of all, I
    believe in the power of prayer. And I have felt the prayers of the
    American people for me and my family. I have. And I want to thank all of
    you who have prayed. People say, ``Well, how do you know?'' I say,
    ``Well, I can just feel it.'' I can't describe it very well, but I feel
    comforted by the prayer.
        I think the thing that--the prayer that I would like America--is to
    ask for is to pray for God's protection for our land and our people, to
    pray against--that there's a shield of protection, so that if the evil
    ones try to hit us again, that we've done everything we can, physically,
    and that there is a spiritual shield that protects the country.
        Do you have a question? Come on underneath. The man's got a
    question.

    September 11

        Q. First of all, I'm very impressed in how you handled the situation
    on September 11th.
        The President. That's plenty. No. Thank you.
        Q. What was the first thing that went through your head when you
    heard that a plane crashed into the first building?
        The President. Yes. Well, I was sitting in a schoolhouse in Florida.
    I had gone down to tell my little brother what to do, and--just kidding,
    Jeb. [Laughter] And--it's the mother in me.
    [Laughter] Anyway, I was in the midst of learning about a reading
    program that works. I'm a big believer in basic education, and it starts
    with making sure every child learns to read. And therefore, we need to
    focus on the science of reading, not what may feel good or sound good
    when it comes to teaching children to read. I'm just getting a plug in
    for my reading initiative.
        Anyway, I was sitting there, and my Chief of Staff--well, first of all, when we walked into the
    classroom, I had seen this plane fly into the first building. There was
    a TV set on. And you know, I thought it was pilot error, and I was
    amazed that anybody could make such a terrible mistake, and something
    was wrong with the plane, or--anyway, I'm sitting there, listening to
    the briefing, and Andy Card came and said, ``America is under attack.''
        And in the meantime, this teacher was going on about the curriculum,
    and I was thinking about what it meant for America to be under attack.
    It was an amazing thought. But I made up my mind that if America was
    under attack, we'd get them. I wasn't interested in lawyers; I wasn't
    interested in a bunch of debate. I was interested in finding out who did
    it and bringing them to justice. I also knew that they would try to
    hide, and anybody who provided haven, help, food, would be held
    accountable by the United States of America.
        Anyway, it was an interesting day.

    [[Page 13]]

    Higher Education

        Q. Senor Presidente, mi nombre is Andrea. I'm a teacher in Rancho
    Cucamonga.
        The President. Yes, I was there. I gave my Social Security speech
    there.
        Q. I'm a professor at Chaffey Community College in Rancho Cucamonga.
    What is your vision for higher education for all people?
        The President. Thank you. First, let me tell you, I am a big
    believer in making sure our community colleges remain affordable,
    available, and flexible. And the reason I believe that is that I
    understand that the best way to make sure people have got the ability to
    work is for there to be a training--a retraining opportunity. In other
    words, communities must figure out how to match up a community college
    system with jobs that actually exist. It seems like to me, in order for
    America to be hopeful for everybody, we need to have flexibility, at
    some point, in the higher education system. And the best place for that
    flexibility to occur is at the community college level.
        Technologies race through the country, our economies, but people get
    left behind. And therefore, there needs to be a system to retrain people
    for the jobs that actually exist, and the best place to do that, in my
    judgment, is the community college. I'm not pandering. I happen to
    believe that.
        Now, higher education takes all kinds of--there's all kinds of
    different ways to achieve higher education. A community college system
    is one, a 4-year college; there's others. One of the things I think we
    need to do is expand the Pell grant system to help people afford higher
    education.
        I've got a couple of more, and then I've got to hustle. Yes, ma'am.
        Q. [Inaudible]
        The President. Thank you. You can repeat that if you want to.
    [Laughter]

    The First Lady's Wardrobe/Small Business

        Q. Well, like you, Mr. President, I too believe in the American
    Dream. I am a young Latina entrepreneur who caters to top-level
    executive women in their clothing needs. One of my dreams is to design
    an exclusive garment for the First Lady, Laura Bush.
        The President. Yes, well, you've got a very good marketing
    department, I see that. [Laughter]
        Q. How can you, as President, help me realize that dream? [Laughter]
        The President. Well, you just helped yourself, which is part of
    realizing a dream. [Laughter] Secondly, I can take the tape of this
    show--I'm confident somebody back there is making a tape--[laughter]--
    and present it firsthand to the First Lady.
        But the other thing--the other way to help you on your business and
    to help you expand is to let you keep some of your own money, so that
    you can reinvest it, and so that your business can grow. It's one thing
    to be able to have a good marketing plan--and I appreciate your
    boldness--[laughter]--but it's another thing to be able to have the
    cashflow necessary to implement the strategy.
        It's important for Government to set priorities, and we're going to
    set priorities. But it's also important for Congress to realize that one
    way to put a halt to any economic recovery that's beginning is to
    overspend, is to keep too much of the people's money. And therefore, one
    of the interesting debates is going to be, do we let the people keep the
    money that we promised them or not? And you heard my position on it loud
    and clear. The answer is, absolutely they get to keep the money--like
    this entrepreneur right here.
        Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You probably think the Marines are the best
    branch in the service, don't you?

    Montgomery GI Bill

        Q. Yes, sir, I do. I was a recruiter for 3 years, so I know we are.
    Sir, the question I have, it goes back to education--[inaudible]--all
    marines, all soldiers, sailors, and airmen, we pay into the Montgomery
    GI bill. And there was talk in Congress about

    [[Page 14]]

    us being able to share that money that we've put in and the Government's
    going to match for our educations, to go towards our family. I was
    wondering what you thought of that so we could use----
        The President. I'm not sure what the status of that proposal is. I
    remember discussing it with my OMB Director. I thought it was a good idea when we discussed it; I just
    don't know where the proposal is right now.
        Last question, then I've got to go up to Oregon. Yes, ma'am. Then
    I've got to go back out to the ranch. There are a couple of cows waiting
    for me. [Laughter] You know, when I first got back from Washington, it
    seemed like the cows were talking back. [Laughter] But now that I've
    spent some time in Crawford, they're just cows. [Laughter]
        Yes, ma'am.

    Amendment To Prohibit Flag Desecration

        Q. What is the status and your feeling on the amendment to prohibit
    flag desecration?
        The President. I don't know what it is. I'm for it. And that's a
    good question. I just don't know exactly where it stands right now. I
    need to--okay.
        Como esta?

    Immigration

        Q. Muy bien. I'm so proud you came here from the largest State of
    Texas, and the biggest President of the world.
        The President. Thank you.
        Q. Jorge----
        The President. Si.
        Q. For those of you who don't speak English, it's ``George.'' I have
    a question. As an American Mexican, we face the problem with
    immigration.
        The President. Yes.
        Q. I'm very concerned. And I want to ask you what we can do to help
    to solve this problem, not only with the illegal immigration but with
    the millions of people living in the United States with the proper
    papers to work.
        The President. Right. A couple of things. First, short term, is to
    make sure that the INS functions, that the INS is able to expedite the
    paperwork for people who are legitimately here in the country, and
    expedite the paperwork necessary for families to reunite. If you believe
    in family values, you've got to have families together, it seems like to
    me. And yet, we're too bureaucratic when it comes to the INS, and we
    need to streamline it and make it work.
        Secondly, we've got to understand that in the past, at least, there
    have been people who were trying to hire people and people willing to
    work. And it makes sense to me to have a system that matches willing
    employer with willing employee.
        Thirdly, the long-term solution is for Mexico to grow a middle class
    so that people don't feel like they have to come here to work. The long-
    term solution--family values don't stop at the Rio Bravo. If there's
    somebody who has got children to feed, somebody, a mom or a dad who has
    got little ones to take care of, and they make 50 cents in a State in
    Mexico or they could make $5 in America, they're going to come to
    America if they believe in their children, if they have the same values
    you and I have.
        Values don't stop. And so therefore, it seems like to me, the best
    thing we can do is to have a strong relationship with Mexico, a free
    trading relationship with Mexico so that Mexico is more likely to grow a
    middle class, which means that person who is willing to walk miles
    across Texas desert to work to feed her children will be able to find
    work close to home.
        That's why I said one of the most important foreign policy relations
    we have is with Mexico. The stronger Mexico is, the less pressure on our
    border. The stronger Mexico is, the more prosperity there will be in
    both our countries.
        Listen, thank you all for coming. God bless, and God bless America.

    [[Page 15]]

    Note: The President spoke at 10 a.m. at the Ontario Convention Center.
    In his remarks, he referred to Mario Rodriguez, member, board of
    directors and advisers, the Latino Coalition, who introduced the
    President; Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist
    organization; Sfc. Nathan Ross Chapman, USA, who was killed January 4 by
    hostile fire in Afghanistan; Carlo Moyano, president and chief executive
    officer, JCM Corp.; and Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida.