[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 24 (Monday, June 18, 2001)]
[Page 908]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Departure From Goteborg and an Exchange With Reporters

June 15, 2001

    The President. Good morning. Thank you all very much for coming. 
Laura and I have had a fantastic trip here to Sweden, and we want to 
thank all the folks at our Embassy for working hard to make our trip go 
so well. First, I want to make sure you meet your boss, and that's the 
Secretary of State, Colin Powell, who's doing a fantastic job for 
America. I want to thank Ambassador Lyndon Olson and his wife, Kay, for 
their hospitality and their service to the United States of America. 
They have served our country with distinction and class, and we're very 
grateful. I want to thank Bruce Carter for his hard work to make sure 
our trip went so well. And I want to thank Gillian Milonovic for her 
work, as well. [Applause] Gillian has got a few supporters out there.
    Before we come around and shake your hand and thank you, I do want 
to talk about a piece of good news that we got out of our United States 
Senate yesterday. Yesterday the Senate overwhelmingly voted for an 
education bill that I had submitted to the Congress. It is a piece of 
legislation that will reform public education in America. It is a 
meaningful, real reform.
    I want to thank Senator Kennedy and Senator Gregg for their 
bipartisan cooperation. I urge the conferees from the House and the 
Senate to act quickly on this legislation so that America can say we put 
the reforms in place, and we can truly say that no child in our country 
will be left behind.
    I'm sure you've read about the so-called divisiveness in Washington. 
In short order, we have passed meaningful tax reform, and we are now on 
our way to meaningful education reform. And I'm so proud of the 
accomplishments not only of the administration, but also of the United 
States Congress.
    And I'm proud of your service to America, as well. You stand tall 
for a great country, and for that we are very grateful.
    God bless you all, and God bless America.

Education Reform Legislation

    Q. Mr. President, are you sorry you didn't get vouchers?
    The President. I'm very pleased. It's a great piece of legislation.

Note: The President spoke at 7:48 a.m. at Landvetter Airport. A tape was 
not available for verification of the content of these remarks.