    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [March 6, 2004]
    [Pages 326-330]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's News Conference With President Vicente Fox of Mexico in Crawford, Texas
    March 6, 2004

        President Bush. Hola. Que tal? Bienvenidos.
        President Fox. Gracias.
        President Bush. Mr. President, Laura and I
    are pleased to welcome you and Marta to
    Crawford. I was honored as my first trip abroad as President to accept
    your invitation to your home in San Cristobal. We've met many times
    since. Today I'm pleased to host you here at our ranch.
        Mexico and the United States are more than neighbors. We are
    partners in building a safer, more democratic, and more prosperous
    hemisphere. In this age of terror, the security of our borders is more
    important than ever, and the cooperation between Mexico and American
    border and law enforcement is stronger than ever.
        Through the Border Partnership Agreement, our two nations are
    improving the infrastructure at ports of entry along our common border.
    We're using technology to allow law-abiding travelers to cross the
    border quickly and easily, while officials concentrate on stopping
    possible threats. Our Mexican and American officials are working
    together to arrest dangerous criminals, including drug smugglers and
    those who traffic in human beings. President Fox and I are determined to
    protect the safety of American people and the Mexican people.
        President Fox and I are continuing our efforts to support democracy
    in the region. I support the President's help in bringing order and
    stability to Haiti. As our efforts move forward, I welcome Mexico's
    further support.
        Our two nations will continue to cochair the Bolivia Support Group
    to protect the institutions of democracy in that country. We will work
    with the Organization of American States to help ensure the integrity of
    the Presidential recall and referendum process underway in Venezuela.
        I am committed to working with President Fox to expand free and fair
    trade between our nations. We've seen trade lift both our nations and
    both our economies. Over the past decade, trade between the United
    States and Mexico has nearly tripled to about $230 billion. Today,
    Mexico is America's second-largest trading partner, and we are Mexico's
    largest.
        We will continue to work together and with Canada to enhance our
    common prosperity. Selling American goods and services in foreign
    markets is vital to the American

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    economy. Selling our products abroad creates jobs for America. We must
    reject economic isolationism. There is no future in walling America off
    from the rest of the world. American workers and families, no less than
    the people of Mexico and the people of all nations, benefit from free
    and fair trade.
        We will work to ensure a system of safe and orderly migration.
    Earlier this year, I proposed a temporary-worker program, not an amnesty
    program, that will offer legal status as temporary workers to
    undocumented men and women who were employed in the United States when I
    announced this proposal.
        Under this program, America will also welcome workers from foreign
    countries who have been offered jobs by American employers that no
    American has filled. I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on
    the automatic path to citizenship. This program will match willing
    workers with willing employers without disadvantaging those who have
    followed the law and waited in line to achieve American citizenship.
        This new temporary-worker program will strengthen both the American
    and Mexican economies. The United States will benefit from the labor of
    hard-working immigrants. Mexico will benefit as productive citizens are
    able to return home with money to invest and spend in their Nation's
    economy.
        This system will be more humane to workers, who will be protected by
    labor laws and able to establish their identities. It will live up to
    the highest ideals of free nations.
        Mr. President, thank you for the excellent dialog we had today.
    Thank you for the leadership you provide for our neighbor and friend.
    And thank you for being a friend to Laura and me.
    Bienvenidos.
        President Fox. Good morning. I would like to thank the President and
    his wife, Mrs. Laura Bush, for inviting us here to spend some time with
    them here at the ranch at Crawford, some time for friendship and some
    time for hard work.
        We have a long tradition of relationships and meetings with
    Presidents Bush and Fox, starting with the meeting in the ranch at San
    Cristobal, where we developed a work agenda. We spoke--both Presidents
    continue to review, looking forward to what lies ahead.
        We know the value of the open relationship, commercial relationship,
    and the impact that it has had on both these nations and the
    unprecedented levels of prosperity that it brings to our people. It's a
    two-way street, a two-way commercial street. It's a buying and selling
    operation.
        I would like to point out that Mexico buys from U.S., the United
    States, in volumes that equal the volumes of Germany, Spain, Italy, and
    France. All of this creates employment. And that's why we continue to
    revise the commercial agenda, and we can see that things are going well
    in this direction.
        Immigration is a subject that is of shared responsibility between
    both our nations. But we have a shared definition about immigration. We
    have to work together to develop a legal system that is orderly and safe
    and respects the dignity of those involved. It is clear to us that the
    people who come to this country make a significant contribution to the
    American economy. And I underline the fact that I refer to those who are
    working to contribute to the economy.
        And that is why we welcome President Bush's proposal that he made in
    January. And that is why, in our meetings, we worked to advance this
    proposal, and that's what we have been doing today. We welcome the news
    that was confirmed today with regard to visitors to the U.S. from
    Mexico. We recognize the value to those who come to the United States to
    work, to study, to contribute. And we appreciate what this will do to
    the flow of visitors now that they will not have to be photographed or
    fingerprinted at the frontier for

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    short visits to the United States. We appreciate what that will do to
    the flow of people coming to this country.
        The other good news this year is the--about the NAFTA visa for
    professionals, that allows professionals to come and work in either
    country and contribute to both.
        We also appreciate the recent visit of Secretary Ridge, talking
    about the cooperation in security between our countries. And we
    understand that this is progressing well and we have a solid and good
    basis to move forward, always respecting the security issues that are
    essential to both countries. We have spoken about competition and
    productivity and jobs. In order to allow the initiative of the United
    States, together with Canada, this will allow us to protect jobs in the
    region and, through the North American Initiative, contribute to the
    economies and to the workforce on both sides of the border.
        In the fields of energy and industrial products, food products,
    sanitation systems, and systems for the protection of food products, the
    contributing opportunities for businesses, these are all subjects which
    are moving forward well. And we look forward to agreements with Canada
    in the near future that will contribute to the North American
    Initiative, which will benefit the three nations in this region.
        Then in the area of the international relations, specifically in the
    Caribbean, we have been revising our joint efforts in that area. And we
    will continue to work in the areas of Haiti and Venezuela, Bolivia, and
    others in the region to promote democracy and human development and
    sustainable economic systems.
        Thank you.
        President Bush. How many questions, Scott? Two questions? Dos
    preguntas por cado lado.
        Jennifer [Jennifer Loven, Associated Press].

    National Economy

        Q. Thank you, sir. Senator Kerry has been hitting you pretty hard on
    job growth. And yesterday's report gave his arguments a little bit more
    traction. Can you tell the American people why they shouldn't listen to
    his arguments and vote for you?
        President Bush. The economy is getting stronger. We've overcome a
    lot. We've been through a recession. We've been through an attack. We've
    been through corporate scandals. We've been through war. And yet our
    economy is getting stronger. And the question is, who brings forth the
    best progrowth policies? You've heard us talk about the advantages of
    trade. This Nation must reject economic isolationism. We need less
    regulation. We need tort reform. We need to make sure the tax cuts are
    permanent. Raising taxes will make it harder for people to find work.
    We've got a pro-growth, pro-entrepreneur, pro-small-business agenda that
    is making this economy stronger.
        Do you want to translate that? Okay. You don't have to. [Laughter]

    [At this point, a translation was provided.]

        President Bush. Make sure you tell them: Don't raise taxes.
    [Laughter]

    [A translation was provided.]

        President Bush. Like some others want to do.

    [A translation was provided.]

        President Bush. Okay, thank you. [Laughter]

    [President Fox spoke in Spanish, and no translation was provided.]

        President Bush. Blame it on me. [Laughter]

    Corporate Responsibility

    [A question was asked in Spanish, and no translation was provided.]

        President Bush. Si, si. I understand. Comprendo.

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        First of all, President Fox has made it very clear that democracy
    and transparency and rule of law are integral values of Mexico. And
    where there is corruption, there will be law and justice, no matter who
    is responsible. And that is a commitment of this President, and it's a
    commitment I share because in our own country we've had corporate
    scandals. And what's important in both countries is to deal with these
    issues through rule of law and to hold people to account when they're
    guilty of betraying the trust.
        Who do you want, Scott? Okay, how are you?
        Q. Hi.
        President Bush. Welcome. Pelo roja. [Laughter]

    September 11

        Q. Mr. President, some firefighters and families of the 9/11
    victims--of the 9/11 victims want you to pull your campaign ad focusing
    on the tragedy. Are you prepared to honor their wishes?
        President Bush. First of all, I will continue to speak about the
    effects of 9/11 on our country and my Presidency. I will continue to
    mourn the loss of life on that day, but I'll never forget the lessons.
    The terrorists declared war on us on that day, and I will continue to
    pursue this war. I have an obligation to those who died. I have an
    obligation to those who were heroic in their attempts to rescue, and I
    won't forget that obligation.
        How this administration handled that day as well as the war on
    terror is worthy of discussion. And I look forward to discussing that
    with the American people. And I look forward to the debate about who
    best to lead this country in the war on terror.
        Por fin.

    Immigration Policy

    [A question was asked in Spanish.]

        President Bush. Vamos a ver. Vamos a ver. Go ahead, want to
    translate? To make sure I got all of it.
        Interpreter. The question is on the immigration policy. The
    Government of Mexico wanted to know what the date certain would be for
    this new program or what proposals you have for temporary immigrants,
    and how do you believe it will affect the upcoming election process?
        President Bush. Well, we just--the President just discussed the
    border crossing cards, the issue of the border crossing cards, and he
    discussed the professional visas. And so we're making progress.
        I put forth what I think is a very reasonable proposal and a humane
    proposal, one that is not amnesty but in fact recognizes that there are
    good, honorable, hard-working people here doing jobs Americans won't do.
    And I certainly hope the Congress takes this issue up. But there's no
    telling what's going to happen in an election year, so it's very
    difficult to give a date. The date that matters to me is the date in
    which I laid out what I think is a reasonable plan, which was in
    January.
        Mr. President, thank you.
        President Fox. Gracias.
        President Bush. Thank you all. Enjoy the rest of your day.

    Attorney General Ashcroft

        Q. Any word on John Ashcroft?
        President Bush. I talked to him last night.
        Q. How is he?
        President Bush. He sounded groggy but optimistic that they'd get the
    pancreas settled down.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President's news conference began at 11 a.m. In his remarks,
    he referred to White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan. President
    Fox and some reporters spoke in Spanish, and their remarks were
    translated by an interpreter.

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