[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
[December 12, 2003]
[Pages 1712-1715]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks Announcing the Nomination of Alphonso Jackson To Be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and an
Exchange With Reporters
December 12, 2003
The President. Good afternoon. I am pleased to announce that I will
nominate Alphonso Jackson of Dallas, Texas, to serve as Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development.
Since 2001, Alphonso Jackson has given fine service as Deputy
Secretary of the Department, responsible for many of the day-to-day
operations of HUD. In his career, Alphonso has been a senior
administrator of housing agencies in three cities, St. Louis and
Washington and Dallas. He's an experienced executive in the public and
private sectors, a man who knows the issues facing HUD and knows how to
get things done.
I can tell you from personal experience that Alphonso is a man of
great integrity and compassion. We used to live in the same neighborhood
in Dallas. [Laughter] I used to drop by for an occasional cup of coffee,
sometimes unannounced. [Laughter] I'm pleased that he has agreed to join
my Cabinet.
I'm also grateful to former Secretary Martinez, Mel
Martinez, for his outstanding leadership of
HUD over the past 3 years. These have been years of important progress
for the Department, for its mission, and for the families across America
that benefit from its good work. Over the last 3 years, homeownership in
America has reached its highest level ever, and in the last 18 months,
more than a million minority citizens have become homeowners.
As leader of HUD, Mel has repaid my
confidence many times over. He is a good man and a good friend, and I
thank him for his service to our Nation, and I wish Mel and
Kitty all the very best.
With the Senate's approval, Mel Martinez
will be succeeded by another man who understands the struggles and hopes
of urban America. Alphonso Jackson grew up in a family with 12 children,
a housing challenge unto itself. [Laughter] His dad, Arthur, worked
three jobs, educated his children, and instilled the values that have
carried his son far in life.
These values and experiences have also shaped the priorities
Alphonso brings to his new assignment. He believes, as I do, that
homeownership is a source of stability for our communities and a source
of dignity for our families. He believes our Government can provide
effective help to our fellow citizens who are homeless, and he has seen
how entire neighborhoods can turn themselves around with strong local
leadership and the help of our Federal Government. Alphonso is just the
man to carry on the work of compassionate conservatism in America's
cities.
Laura and I have known Alphonso and
Marcia for many years. They're close friends,
and I appreciate you coming, Marcia. I also want to welcome the other
members of your family who are here.
Alphonso is a friend, and he's one of the most experienced and
respected authorities on housing policy in America. He will be a superb
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. I want to thank you
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for accepting this assignment and congratulate you, my friend.
[At this point, Deputy Secretary Jackson made brief remarks.]
The President. I thought I would answer a couple of questions.
Jennifer [Jennifer Loven, Associated Press].
Halliburton Contract in Iraq
Q. Yes, sir, thank you. With the Pentagon looking into the
Halliburton contract, are you concerned that that gives some fuel to
your critics that the contract was inappropriate in the first place?
The President. I appreciate the Pentagon looking out after the
taxpayers' money. They felt like there was an overcharge issue. They put
the issue right out there on the table for everybody to see, and they're
doing good work. We're going to watch--we're going to make sure that as
we spend the money in Iraq that it's spent well and spent wisely. And
their investigation will lay the facts out for everybody to see. And if
there's an overcharge, like we think there is, we expect that money to
be repaid.
Randy [Randall Mikkelsen, Reuters].
Middle East Peace Process
Q. Mr. President, Secretary Powell has been meeting with unofficial
Middle East peace negotiators, despite Israel's objections. And there's
other signs of U.S. dissatisfaction with Israel. My question is, what
does Israel need to do to convince you that it's doing its part in the
peace process?
The President. Randy, you may remember I gave the speech on June 24,
2002. I laid out exactly what I think must happen in order for us to
achieve peace in the Middle East, in order for the Palestinian state to
emerge that is at peace with Israel. And I haven't changed my opinion.
Step one is for all parties to fight off terror, to stop the few from
destroying the hopes of the many. Step two is for the Palestinians to
find leadership that is willing to reject the tired old policy of the
past and lead the Palestinian people to not only a democratic state but
a peaceful solution of differences.
Israel must be mindful that the decisions they make today will make
it difficult to create--must be mindful that they don't make decisions
that make it hard to create a Palestinian state. It's in Israel's
interests there be a Palestinian state. It's in the poor, suffering
Palestinian people's interest there be a Palestinian state. The Arab
world has got responsibilities to see that this vision be implemented.
Q. But why these contacts with the unofficial negotiators?
The President. I'm sure the Secretary of State meets with all kinds of people all the time. But the
policy of this administration was laid out in the Rose Garden for
everybody to see, everybody to listen to.
You might remember I took that policy to Aqaba, Jordan. I stood up
in front of the world and said this man has--he, Abu Mazen, came to the Oval Office and said, ``I'm
willing to join you, Mr. President, to help fight off terror,'' because
he understood that terror was what was preventing progress from being
made. He said, ``I'm willing to work to put the institutions in place
for a Palestinian state.'' And as we began to make progress, he got
shoved aside, and that's why we're stalled where we are today.
It is time for Palestinian leadership to emerge that believes in
peace and believes in the aspirations of the Palestinian people.
April [April Ryan, American Urban Radio Networks], I see you've got
something that you'd like to ask. First, let me ask you a question. As
you're heading into--my turn to ask you a question. [Laughter] So this
is your first Christmas season as a mom.
Q. Second, actually, 18 months.
The President. Exactly right. [Laughter] Good answer. I was just
trying to check and see if you knew--if you and I both
[[Page 1714]]
knew how old your child was. [Laughter] Do you have a question to the
President?
Halliburton Contract in Iraq
Q. Yes, I do, sir. Mr. President----
The President. Do you remember what it is? [Laughter]
Q. You can throw a person, you know that. [Laughter] Mr. President,
many of your critics are saying that you should distance yourself from
Halliburton, and they say it's an albatross around this administration's
neck, particularly the Vice President and you. What are your thoughts
about that?
The President. My thoughts are, is that I expect anybody doing
business with the United States Government to be transparent and to give
the taxpayers a good return on their money. That's what I expect. And if
anybody is overcharging the Government, we expect them to repay that
money.
Wendell [Wendell Goler, FOX News].
Iraqi Debt Relief
Q. Mr. President, in light of the New York Times editorial today,
tell me why----
The President. Right. Let me stop you, Wendell. I don't read those
editorials--[laughter]--so you're going to have to--maybe you ought to
ask the question not in that context, but in another context. Sorry to
interrupt you.
Q. All right, sir. Tell me why former Secretary of State Baker's
ties with Carlyle Group and with Baker Botts don't pose a conflict of
interest in this new task you have given him of restructuring Iraq's
debt?
The President. Jim Baker is a man of
high integrity. He's a man of enormous experience. And it makes sense
for him to serve our country on an important mission. And that mission
is to encourage countries to forgive debt so the Iraqi people can more
easily grow a nation that is prosperous and peaceful.
And Jim Baker is--we're fortunate to
have Jim Baker agree to serve our country. We're fortunate he decided to
take time out of what is an active life but one out of the press and one
that's probably not nearly as stressful as it has been when he's been
involved in public service, to step forward and serve America. We're
fortunate that he is willing to do that, and I thank him for that.
And I'm really happy that he has
agreed to serve. His mission is to go to Paris and Berlin and Moscow and
London to convince these countries to forgive debt. And I'm hopeful they
do forgive debt. I'm hopeful that they're willing, in some cases, to
contribute for the first time to the efforts of the Iraqi citizens. See,
it's in the interest of their countries that Iraq be free and peaceful.
Matter of fact, it's in the interest of all countries that Iraq be
peaceful and free. It makes us all more secure. Imagine what the effect
is going to have--a peaceful and free Iraq is going to have in the heart
of the Middle East, where there's so much violence and hatred.
And so Jim Baker is on a noble
mission. He'll do a great job. I didn't mean to dis the New York Times
editorial page, but I just didn't--I'm not reading it a lot these days.
[Laughter]
Yes, sir.
Q. Mr. President----
The President. Or anybody else's, for that matter.
Q. I have no ties with the New York Times. [Laughter]
The President. You didn't mean to dis it either, then. [Laughter]
Strength of the Dollar
Q. Mr. President, the dollar fell again against the euro. Mr. Snow,
your Treasury Secretary, says that the decline has been orderly,
boosting exports. Do you plan any intervention to stop the slide in the
dollar?
The President. My answer to that question about the dollar is that
this Government is for a strong dollar and that the
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dollar's value ought to be set by the market and by the conditions
inherent in our respective economies. And our economy is very strong and
is getting stronger. But the policy, the stated policy--and not only the
stated policy but the strong belief of this administration is that we
have a strong dollar.
Well, listen, thank you all. Alphonso, congratulations.
Deputy Secretary Jackson. Thank you, Mr. President.
The President. I appreciate you coming.
Note: The President spoke at 2:40 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
White House. In his remarks, he referred to former Prime Minister
Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) of the Palestinian Authority; and James A.
Baker III, the President's personal envoy on the issue of Iraqi debt.