[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 9 (Monday, March 5, 2001)]
[Page 390]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
 Remarks at the Swearing-In Ceremony for Anthony J. Principi as 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs

 March 2, 2001

     The President.  Thank you all for coming. Liz, thank you for being 
here, and family members who are here, Mom. We are honored you are here, 
and thank you so much for witnessing the swearing-in of a good man.
     Today we honor a man and swear in a man who has served his country 
in many ways. Tony Principi came to understand the military in war time 
as a decorated soldier in Vietnam. As a veteran, he came to understand 
the Department of Veterans Affairs by serving there. To fill this 
position, I looked carefully, and I chose well.
     America has 25 million veterans. They ask that their Government 
honor its commitments as they honored theirs. They ask that their 
interests be protected, as they protected their country's interests in 
the line of duty. Secretary Principi is prepared not only to lead this 
Department but to modernize it.
     Veterans' claims are often poorly handled, and many veterans are 
not treated as well as they should be by the health care bureaucracy. 
Tony and his Department will set new goals for better service. More 
importantly, we both expect the Department to meet the goals.
     As I said to Congress on Tuesday night, we must honor our 
commitment to veterans by ensuring access to the finest health care. 
This is a basic obligation of our country. In last year's campaign, I 
promised American veterans they'd have an advocate in the White House. 
In Secretary Principi, they now have a strong and faithful friend at the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
     Mr. Secretary, thank you for your service. Congratulations.

 [At this point, Secretary Principi made brief remarks.]

     The President.  Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

  Note:  The President spoke at 1:28 p.m. in the Oval Office at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Secretary Principi's wife, 
Elizabeth, and his mother, Theresa. The transcript released by the 
Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of Secretary 
Principi.