    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [January 22, 2002]
    [Pages 97-98]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters in Belle, West Virginia
    January 22, 2002

    Upcoming Session of Congress/Terrorist Attack in India

        Q. Mr. President, do you think the Enron investigation will become a
    distraction for Congress and, by extension, your goals?
        The President. No.
        Q. Is the attack in Calcutta an attack on America? Was the attack in
    Calcutta an attack on our country?
        The President. Well, we're gathering more information about it, to
    find out exactly what the facts are. Terror is terror, however. It
    doesn't matter whether it's an attack on us or an attack on other
    people. You've got to work together to fight off terrorists.
        For your question, I believe Congress knows what it needs to do. It
    needs to fund the war. It needs to fund homeland security. It needs to
    work on ways to create jobs. And I'm confident that all the facts will
    come out on Enron. And I'm also confident that if Congress has the right
    attitude, we can get a lot done. We need an energy policy, a trade
    policy. So I'm going to keep talking about it until we get it done.

    Enron/Energy Policy

        Q. Do you worry that Enron creates a negative perception about you
    or your policies?
        The President. Our administration has done the exact right thing.
    There has been a couple of contacts with people in my Cabinet. And my
    Cabinet officers said, ``No help here.'' And we're starting an
    investigation before anybody started paying attention to Enron. Last
    December, Elaine Chao started an
    investigation of pensions. And I'm absolutely confident the American
    people know that my administration has acted the right way.
        What I'm outraged about is that shareholders and employees didn't
    know all the facts about Enron. My own mother-in-law bought stock last summer, and it's not worth anything
    now. If she had known all the facts, I don't know what her decision
    would have been made, but she didn't know all the facts. And a lot of
    shareholders didn't know all the facts. And that's wrong.
        And so our Government must do something about it, must make sure
    that the accounting practices that have been going on for quite a while
    are addressed, make sure there's full disclosure and the corporate
    government's issues are wide open for everybody to understand.
        If Congress is going to do its business, and should--the Congress
    also needs to stay focused on the American people. We're running a war.
    We've got to make sure our homeland is secure. And we've got to make
    sure people can find work. And we'll take care of our business.
        Q. [Inaudible]--call the information about meetings between the Vice
    President and Enron and energy policy, just to get it out----
        The President. If somebody has got an accusation about some
    wrongdoing, just let me know. It's like when I talked with Don
    Evans and O'Neill, they told me they had spoke to Enron. I said, ``Tell the
    people what you did.'' And if there's any accusations, if you've got
    anything on your mind--the energy report should speak for itself. We
    laid out the energy report; it's fully disclosed. People now know that
    we need an energy plan based upon conservation and increasing supplies
    and better transmission of energy. And there's no better place to talk
    about energy than right here in West Virginia, which is an energy-
    dependent State.
        Q. The West Virginia coal miners, sir, what do you say to----

    [[Page 98]]

        The President. My answer is that with a comprehensive energy plan,
    they're going to be able to find work. And we need an energy plan. And
    there are ways to have coal exploration and coal development with a
    sensitivity toward our environment.

    West Virginia's Economic Development

        Q. What about the West Virginian who's not into coal, the other part
    of the State that needs help so badly?
        The President. Well, education is going to be the first step. People
    getting a good education are going to be able to find good work. And
    West Virginia has got an interesting, burgeoning tourist industry.
    They've got a good natural gas industry, and they've got a lot going for
    them. But a lot of it is going to be the ability to educate the people
    so they can find work. And that's why this education bill is a good
    piece of legislation.
        Thank you all, pleasure.

    Note: The exchange began at 12:40 p.m. during a tour of the Walker
    Machinery Co. Powertrain and Engine Rebuild Facility. In his remarks,
    the President referred to his mother-in-law, Jenna Welch.