    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [October 26, 2007]
    [Pages 1390-1391]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Congressional Action on the Legislative Agenda
    October 26, 2007

        Good morning. I went out to California yesterday to meet with
    families affected by the wildfires and to thank the State and local
    officials for their outstanding work in this difficult time. While I was
    there, I saw the terrible destruction and heartbreaking loss. Yet I was
    also encouraged by the spirit I found: the families determined to
    rebuild, the volunteers who stepped forward to help neighbors in need,
    and the first-responders who have shown such courage in battling the
    flames and caring for those who were displaced.

    [[Page 1391]]

        I returned to Washington late last night. And when I got back to the
    White House, I was disappointed by what Congress had been doing and even
    more disappointed by what they had not been doing. This week, the
    majority in the House passed a new SCHIP bill that costs more over the
    next 5 years than the one I vetoed 3 weeks ago. It still moves millions
    of American children who now have private health insurance into
    Government-run health care. It raises taxes to pay for it. And it fails
    to do what needs to be done: to put poor children first.
        After I vetoed their last SCHIP bill, I designated members of my
    administration to work with Congress to find common ground.
    Congressional leaders never met with them. Instead, the House once again
    passed a bill that they knew would not become law. And incredibly
    enough, the Senate will take up the same bill next week, which wastes
    valuable time.
        As the House was debating SCHIP, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee unveiled a massive tax
    package that raises taxes on more than a million small-business owners,
    among others. Earlier this week, Congress sent me a fiscally
    irresponsible water resources bill. The House version came in at $15
    billion. The Senate version came in at $14 billion. So the House and
    Senate compromised and sent me a bill that costs $23 billion. In
    Washington, they call that ``splitting the difference.''
        And today Congress set a record they should not be proud of. October
    the 26th is the latest date in 20 years that Congress has failed to get
    a single annual appropriations bill to the President's desk. And that's
    not the only thing congressional leaders have failed to get done.
        They have yet to make the Internet tax moratorium permanent or even
    extend it, even though this moratorium is set to expire in just a few
    days. The House and Senate have both passed temporary extensions but
    have not agreed on a final bill. I urge Congress to keep the Internet
    tax-free and to get a bill to my desk that I can sign.
        They have yet to move Judge Michael Mukasey's nomination to be Attorney General out of the Senate
    Judiciary Committee, even as Members complain about the lack of
    leadership at the Department of Justice.
        They have yet to act on our emergency war funding supplemental, even
    though our troops on the frontlines depend on these vital funds to fight
    our enemies and to keep us safe at home.
        This is not what congressional leaders promised when they took
    control of Congress earlier this year. In January, one congressional
    leader declared, and I quote, ``No longer can we waste time here in the
    Capitol, while families in America struggle to get ahead.'' He was
    right. With only a few weeks left on the legislative calendar, Congress
    needs to keep their promise to stop wasting time and get essential work
    done on behalf of the American people.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:32 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. In his remarks, he referred to H.R. 3963, H.R. 976, H.R.
    3970, and H.R. 1495.