[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 52 (Monday, January 2, 1995)]
[Pages 2535-2536]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Announcing the Nomination of Dan Glickman To Be Secretary of 
Agriculture and an Exchange With Reporters

December 28, 1994

    The President. Good morning. I am very pleased that Dan Glickman has 
accepted my offer to become the next Secretary of Agriculture. He comes 
to the Cabinet after a distinguished 18-year career representing Wichita 
and south central Kansas in the House of Representatives. During that 
period, he rose to prominence on the House Agriculture Committee and 
became a leading spokesman for American agriculture and a key architect 
of the last four farm bills. His knowledge, experience, his 
understanding of the needs of the American farmer make him exactly the 
right person to be Secretary of Agriculture in 1995 when we will be 
writing the next farm bill.
    I've told Dan that I expect him to continue being a vocal advocate 
of the interest of American agriculture and to carry on the 
groundbreaking work done by Secretary Mike Espy during the last 2 years. 
I am very proud of the work that our administration, under the 
leadership of Secretary Espy, has done for America's farmers and 
ranchers and for America's taxpayers.
    Mike Espy has been tireless in his efforts to expand trading 
opportunities. I can tell you as a citizen of the largest rice-growing 
State in America, I never thought I would live to see the day when 
American rice would be available in Japanese markets. But thanks to Mike 
Espy, it is.
    The reorganization that he has put into effect at the United States 
Department of Agriculture is the most sweeping in 50 years. And in many 
ways, it's the prototype of the plans we have to streamline the entire 
Federal Government to make it work better for the American people.
    Mike Espy has been a partner of ours in developing the empowerment 
zones for distressed rural areas where we try to solve our most 
fundamental economic problems by creating partnerships at the grassroots 
level to help people help themselves. When livelihoods and lives were 
threatened by the awful floods and natural disasters in the Midwest and 
elsewhere, Secretary Espy managed our agriculture relief efforts with 
speed, compassion, and confidence. He did a superb job. In the area of 
crop insurance, in the area of food safety, in so many other areas 
Secretary Espy and his administration were friends of the American 
farmers.
    I am confident that Congressman Glickman will not only carry on the 
innovations begun by Secretary Espy but break new ground in our efforts 
to increase farm exports and bridge the differences between rural and 
urban Members of Congress.
    I can say one thing that has pleased me greatly over the last year 
or so, and that is to travel around America and have farmers come up to 
me and say that they now consider the Department of Agriculture a friend 
and not a problem in their efforts to produce food for the United States 
and for the world. It will be our goal to continue that as we work so 
hard to balance the concerns of farmers and ranchers, consumers, 
environmentalists, and others.
    I know Dan Glickman will meet this challenge. He has always been 
more interested in solving problems for people than scoring political 
points. The many awards and the recognition he has received from farm 
groups, from environmental groups, from consumers testify to his 
fairness and to his ability. I picked him for this job because the 
Department of Agriculture and rural Amer- 

[[Page 2536]]

ica more than ever need a leader who is experienced, aggressive, and 
innovative. I know he will be an advocate and a spokesman for making 
sure that American agriculture enters the 21st century on a prosperous 
and solid foundation. Our agricultural system is the envy of the world, 
and it must remain so.
    I also chose Dan Glickman for his common sense and his good humor. 
He says he always wears a sunflower on his lapel to remind him of where 
he's from, the values of the heartland that make him what he is. I hope 
and expect he will keep wearing that sunflower and keep us in a sunny 
disposition.
    Mr. Glickman.
[At this point, Representative Glickman made brief remarks.]

North Korea

    Q. Mr. President, what do you hear about the talks in North Korea? 
And would you hold up that January 21st oil shipment if Airman Hall is 
not released?
    The President. Well, let me say first of all that we have made it 
clear to the North Koreans that we want the prompt release of Airman 
Hall and that there is no reason for his detention. He was on a routine 
training mission; that's all. They made an error, which we have 
acknowledged, and drifted into North Korean airspace.
    We now have an administration official in North Korea, as you know, 
and talks are ongoing. And I think it would be premature for me to say 
anything else at this time. Let's give our people there a chance to do 
their work and see what happens.
    Q. Are we asking for an apology, and isn't there a split in the 
North Korean Government between the military and the----
    The President. I think it would be better for us to say nothing 
until my representative there has a chance to do his work. And we are in 
constant contact with him; he's working hard. We want Airman Hall 
released. There is no reason to detain him. It was a routine training 
mission. Anything else would be premature at this time.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:14 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House.