[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 5 (Monday, February 5, 2001)]
[Pages 237-238]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Meeting With Congressional Leaders and an Exchange With 
Reporters

January 29, 2001

Legislative Agenda

    The President. Mr. Secretary, you better move over before you get 
trampled by the hungry caterpillar. [Laughter]
    I want to thank the two chairmen from the Senate and the House for 
coming to visit us. I appreciate you being here, Mr. Secretary; of 
course, the Vice President. We've had a very--we've had a discussion--a 
couple of key issues. One, I was informing the chairmen that today we're 
sending up to the Hill our Immediate Helping Hand proposal, which is 
help for prescription drugs for seniors. I appreciate them hearing me 
out as to the rationale to send it up.
    I was pleased to hear there is some sentiment on the Hill for quick 
action for Medicare reform, a reform package which would include 
prescription drugs. And secondly, of course, we talked about tax relief, 
tax simplification, and tax fairness. They brought a favorable report 
that members from both parties are beginning to talk positively about 
tax relief and the positive effects it will have on our economy, on the 
lives of our average citizens. So I want to thank them for coming.
    I'd be glad to answer a few questions.
    Yes, John.

Energy Policy Development Group

    Q. Sir, on your energy task force, is this seeking political cover, 
sir, to promote your campaign to open up the wildlife refuge? And also, 
given the Vice President's past ties to oil, what can you say to 
consumers that would allay any fears they might have that any deal that 
you come up with on energy, any national energy policy, may be more 
geared toward oil companies than to consumers?
    The President. Well, Dick Cheney is a person who loves America and 
cares about the future of the country, just like I do. And he 
understands what I understand, that if we don't find more energy 
supplies to meet growing demand in places like California, the consumer 
is going to pay a dear price.
    During the course of the campaign, we spent a lot of time talking 
about the need to develop a national energy policy. And that's exactly 
what we're going to do. There is a short-term issue of California, and 
we responded quickly to the Governor's request for a 2 week extension on 
some mandatory allocations of energy and gas. It's now up to the people 
of California, the elected officials of California, to correct a flawed 
law, and we're encouraged that they're doing so.
    But there's a long-term issue as well, and that is, how do we find 
more energy supplies? How do we encourage conservation on the one hand 
and bring more energy into the marketplace? And a good place to look is 
going to be ANWR. And I campaigned hard on the notion of having an 
environmentally sensitive exploration to ANWR, and I think we can do so.

Faith-Based Initiative

    Q. On your faith-based initiative, could you address the concern 
that some people

[[Page 238]]

have that this is an erosion of church and state, and that this will 
somehow be an office of evangelicals in the White House?
    The President. Right. I appreciate that question, because I, in the 
State of Texas, had heard a lot of discussion about a faith-based 
initiative eroding the important bridge between church and state. And I 
am convinced that our plan is constitutional, because we intend--we will 
not fund a church or a synagogue or a mosque or any religion but, 
instead, will be funding programs that affect people in a positive way.
    The charitable choice provision that had been debated in the welfare 
reform package fully explored the constitutional questions involved with 
funding people and/or faith-based programs. And I am confident that our 
program not only is constitutional but, more importantly, our program is 
going to change America for the better, that we're going to help people, 
and we're going to help people help themselves, and we're going to rally 
the great compassion of America.
    And I look forward to implementing this program. I look forward to 
working with Members of Congress to put the required package together.

Prescription Drugs Legislation

    Q. How do you respond to the Members of Congress who say they would 
rather see a universal, broad-based approach to Medicare reform rather 
than your drug plan first and a broader approach later?
    The President. Well, if, in fact, what they're saying is that they 
plan on expediting a Medicare reform that will include prescription 
drugs for all seniors, then all of a sudden, I begin to say, ``Well, 
gosh, that may make sense that you look at our proposal the way you 
do.'' If they're going to drag their feet, if the Members of the 
Congress on both sides of the aisle don't feel the same urgency that I 
feel and these two chairmen feel on Medicare reform, then I feel it's 
very important for us to have An Immediate Helping Hand. There are a lot 
of seniors who need help when it comes to prescription drugs.

Marc Rich Pardon

    Q. Why did you decide not to challenge the Clinton pardon, sir?
    The President. Oh, on Marc Rich? First of all, I didn't agree with 
the decision. I would not have made that decision myself. But the 
ability for a President to make decisions is--a decision on pardons is 
inviolate, as far as I'm concerned. It's an important part of the 
office. I am mindful not only of preserving executive powers for myself 
but for predecessors as well. And that's why I made the decision.
    Q. Are you troubled by the appearance, sir? Are you troubled by the 
appearance of that pardon, sir?
    The President. I was troubled by the decision the President made. I 
would not have made the decision. I would not have made that decision. 
But nevertheless, he was the President. He had the right to do so, to 
make that decision, and he did. And I'm going to protect that privilege, 
not only for me but for future Presidents as well.
    Q. Is it a quid pro quo----
    The President. I don't know about that. It's going to be up for a 
good journalist to figure that out--like you, Roberts [John Roberts, CBS 
News].
    Q. I'm just wondering, sir, if you're taking a look at the path 
that's been laid and said, it walks like a duck.
    The President. It what--it walks like what? [Laughter]

Note: The President spoke at 2:04 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Representative William M. Thomas, 
chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means; Senator Charles Grassley, 
chairman, Senate Committee on Finance; Treasury Secretary-designate Paul 
H. O'Neill; and Gov. Gray Davis of California. The President also 
referred to ANWR, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A tape was not 
available for verification of the content of these remarks.