[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 13 (Monday, April 2, 2001)]
[Page 530]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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

March 28, 2001

Federal Budget

    The President. I want to thank the leadership of the House and the 
Senate for coming up. Today's a big day. The House is going to take up a 
budget, a budget that is a commonsense budget, one that meets 
priorities, one that grows discretionary spending by 4 percent, a budget 
that protects Social Security, a budget that funds Medicare. It's also a 
budget that recognizes that this Nation needs a tax relief package to 
stimulate our economy.
    I want to thank you for coming, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate you, 
Chairman Thomas, for working with Members of the House to get the 
package moving quickly. Later on this week you'll be taking up, as I 
understand, the child credit and the marriage penalty and, later on, the 
death tax. And I appreciate your leadership.
    I've been very encouraged to see that Members on both sides of the 
aisle have been talking about the need not only to have immediate 
stimulus to the economy but certainty in our country, by having rates 
reduced. But reducing just one rate is not enough. In order to encourage 
the growth of our small businesses and enhance the entrepreneurial 
fervor of America we need to cut all rates, so that there's certainty in 
our economy when people plan. And I'm confident we can get this done. 
It's in the best interests of our country that we do so.
    I want to thank the Senators who are here. We've got a big vote 
coming up next week on the budget. The chairman is here of the Budget 
Committee. He's a man who understands the importance of tax relief to 
stimulate growth. I appreciate you, Mr. Chairman, for your hard work. 
And we look forward to working with you.
    Thank you all for coming.

Campaign Finance Reform

    Q. Mr. President, on campaign finance reform----
    The President. I'm talking about the budget today. There will be 
ample time to talk about bills in progress. Today I want America to 
hear, we're going to get a good budget out of the House, and we'll get a 
good budget out of the Senate. And it's in the best interests of the 
working people that we do so.
    Q. Will you say if there's----
    The President. I'm talking about the budget today.

Note: The President spoke at 10:46 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Representative William M. Thomas, 
chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means, and Senator Pete, Domenici, 
chairman, Senate Budget Committee. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of these remarks.