[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 26 (Monday, July 2, 2001)]
[Pages 963-967]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
 Remarks to the United States Conference of Mayors in Detroit, Michigan

 June 25, 2001

     Well, thank you all very much. Thanks. Please be seated. Well, 
Victor, thank you very much. I appreciate your kind remarks.
     Before I begin, I'd like to introduce the First Lady. She and I are 
coming up from

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Crawford, Texas, on our way back to the Nation's Capital, and we're so 
honored that you all would welcome us here: Laura Bush.
     Traveling with me, as well, is the Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao, 
the FEMA Director, Joe Allbaugh. I hope you don't have to call him. 
[Laughter] But if you do, I can assure you, he'll be responsive.
     I'm honored to be here with my friend the Governor of Michigan and 
Michelle Engler. I appreciate, Brent, so much, seeing you again, and I 
thank all the mayors for your hospitality.
     Traveling with me, as well, are members of the United States 
congressional delegation: Tony Hall, J.C. Watts, Joe Knollenberg, Jim 
Ramstad, and right here from her own district, Carolyn Kilpatrick. I 
also had the pleasure of meeting and visiting with the newest mayor on 
the block, Mayor Jim Hahn of Los Angeles.
     It's good to see the mayors from the great State of Texas. I see 
the mayor from Fort Worth and the mayor from Dallas. I suspect the mayor 
from Houston is somewhere around here--oh, there he is. Hi, Lee. Thank 
you all very much. There's another mayor--thank you, Mayor. I remember 
you. I hope you remember me. [Laughter] It's good to see you all.
     I also want to thank the mayor of Detroit for his hospitality. I'm 
reminded of what President Kennedy said about Columbus, Ohio. He said, 
``There's no city in America where I get a warmer welcome and receive 
less votes.'' [Laughter] I think because of that, the mayor likes me--
and in spite of that, I like the mayor. [Laughter]
     Detroit was the site of this organization's birth, 69 years ago, 
when Mayor Frank Murphy and 29 of his colleagues met here in this city. 
In that year, in 1932, one-third of Americans were unemployed; foodlines 
stretched for blocks; nearly 40 percent of America's banks had failed. 
Today, the story is very different. American cities are once again a 
magnet for ambition and culture and enterprise. The welfare rolls are 
down. In some places, crime rates have fallen to what they were in the 
mid-1960s. Problems that once seemed hopeless have yielded to reform and 
good sense. And the mayors of America deserve much of the credit.
     Yet, as we all know, tremendous challenges still remain. Too many 
children, through no fault of their own, are in families without fathers 
and neighborhoods without opportunity. Too many young people drop out of 
school, drop out of the labor force, and end up in prisons. Too many men 
and women wander alone in the twilight of addiction, illiteracy, and 
mental illness.
     These problems seem immune to our affluence. We're not in a post-
poverty America. The challenges we face are different than they were in 
the 1930s, and we must recognize new challenges demand new approaches. I 
realize that many of you are doing an outstanding job of dealing with 
these problems, and that the burden cannot fall upon you, alone. The 
Federal Government should take your side. The cities and communities of 
America need to be empowered, not regimented. And this is my firm 
commitment to you, the mayors.
    The agenda is long and very important. Equal opportunity is an empty 
hope without good schools. So the education reform legislation passed by 
both the House and the Senate spreads power to local communities and, 
for the first time, demands results in return. It's time to act when we 
find that children who graduate from high school have only an eighth 
grade education. He's been betrayed by the adult world, and we must end 
that betrayal by having high expectations, strong accountability 
systems, and the resources necessary to make sure that not one child 
gets left behind in America.
     In the aftermath of successful welfare reform, we must turn to the 
problems of the working poor, especially the newly working poor. We're 
encouraging homeownership by providing tax credits to investors to 
redevelop and build new single-family homes. We're facilitating 
homeownership for low income families by allowing them to consolidate a 
year's worth of Section 8 assistance for a downpayment on a home.
     We believe owning something is a part of the American future. We 
want all people, regardless of background, to be able to claim a home of 
their own in America. I can't think of anything better to help 
revitalize the neighborhoods in America's cities.

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     We must actively work to fill the gaps in the health care system 
for the working poor. That's why the budget I've sent up to Congress 
provides resources to expand significantly the number of community 
health centers to make sure that all folks have got an opportunity for 
good primary care, and proposes a new tax credit for those who have 
difficulty affording health insurance.
     I'm convinced that we can make progress on the important issues. 
Today I want to focus on one in particular: supporting the good works of 
charities and neighborhood healers, empowering communities to meet their 
own needs and to care for their own members.
     In every city, there are people who mentor and tutor, who give 
shelter to battered women and children, who teach biological fathers to 
be real and caring fathers, who help young people find jobs and avoid 
violence, who confront--who comfort the aged and help the dying, who 
picket crackhouses, who walk into gunfire to end gang wars. These good 
people don't lack compassion. They certainly don't lack courage. They 
don't lack commitment and spiritual strength. But often they lack 
resources. And I believe government, where it can, should stand side by 
side and to help them.
     This belief isn't owned by Republicans or Democrats. It doesn't fit 
into neat, ideological categories. It demands an active government to 
support the good works of others, an active government to spread 
resources and authority beyond government entirely.
     In articulating his philosophy of how to aid American cities, 
Robert Kennedy said, ``There must be an overriding theme and goal: the 
involvement of the community, of those who have the greatest stake in 
the quality of the services they receive.'' He spoke about putting 
community at the center of all our policy. He said, ``Government back to 
the people of the neighborhood.'' I agree. In the 21st century, we 
should bring government back to the people who have a powerful sense of 
mission and idealism, back to people who know the needs of neighbors, 
back to people committed to rebuilding their communities from the inside 
out.
     These committed men and women take the side of hope and compassion. 
And we must take their side. We must help those in need, and we must 
encourage people to be good citizens, instead of bystanders. So I'm 
pleased that more than 150 mayors' offices across the country are 
launching their own efforts to encourage faith and community initiatives 
in partnership with the White House.
     I'm honored the U.S. Conference of Mayors has strongly endorsed my 
administration's Faith-Based and Community Initiative. I'm extremely 
proud to announce that Rosa Parks, a monumental figure in the civil 
rights movement, has endorsed the initiative. These are unprecedented 
votes of confidence. They're important steps in our efforts to bring 
healing and hope to those in need.
     I'm excited about this approach, yet, I'm under no illusions. I 
know government cannot be replaced by charities. The best mentoring 
program will never be a substitute for Medicaid for poor children. The 
best effort to renovate housing will never be a substitute for fair 
housing laws. Charities and community groups cannot do everything. But 
we strongly believe they can do more. We must find creative ways to 
expand their size and increase their number. And now is the time to 
start.
     I proposed a new initiative to mentor the children of prisoners, so 
they are not further punished for the sins of their parents. I have 
proposed expanding Federally funded after-school programs, so that 
faith-based and community-based programs can access that money. I 
proposed a Responsible Fatherhood Initiative, aiding community groups 
that seek to strengthen the role of fathers in the lives of families.
     And soon, the United States House of Representatives will act on 
H.R. 7, the ``Community Solutions Act,'' sponsored by Republican J.C. 
Watts and Democrat Tony Hall. The bill contains important elements of 
the Faith-Based and Community Initiative, and I hope you'll make your 
support of this legislation known to the skeptics in the United States 
Senate and to the United States House. H.R. 7 expands individual 
development accounts, which provide a way for charities, government, and 
business to help struggling families find the security of assets and the 
dignity of independence.

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     The bill allows not-itemizing Federal taxpayers to joint itemizers 
in deducting their charitable contributions, a step that should 
encourage new charitable giving all across America. The ``Community 
Solution Act'' also expands charitable choice, the principle already 
established in Federal law that faith-based organizations should be able 
to compete for Government funds, without being forced to hide their 
religious character.
     We recognize that the funds will be spent on social services, not 
worship services. And we recognize there must be secular alternatives 
for those who wish to use the services. We respect the separation of 
church and state and the constitutional rights of religious people. But 
the days of discriminating against religious institutions simply because 
there are religious must come to an end if we want to heal America.
     As you know, many community groups are not religious in nature. 
Their employees and volunteers are motivated by kind hearts and moral 
convictions. Yet, many acts of charity and social justice are also the 
acts of faith. And in our cities, they are often associated with 
African-American churches. More than 70 percent of African-American 
churches engage in community outreach programs, including daycare, job 
search, substance abuse prevention, food and clothing distribution. 
They're far more likely to apply for public funds for their social 
programs than other churches. And the people who most often benefit from 
the outreach efforts of these African-American churches are poor 
children, who are not affiliated with any church at all. In some places, 
African-American churches are the only institutions that hold the 
fraying strands of a community together. And their work should be 
praised and welcomed and encouraged.
     I've heard the voices, and so have you, the critics who are 
concerned about supporting good works, motivated by strong faith. I 
suggest they go to the cities to see the need and to see the hope. I 
suggest they talk to the forward-thinking mayors, mayors who are on the 
frontline, who work closely with faith and community organizations, who 
are witnesses to the power of this approach.
     Your witness is in Philadelphia, where Mayor John Street supports 
the Amachi program, directed by former Mayor Wilson Goode, which 
recruits mentors to care for the children of prisoners.
    Your witness is in Orlando, where earlier this month Mayor Glenda 
Hood announced her faith-based and community matching grants program. 
That program focuses on funding youth and family projects that 
contribute to civic responsibility and character development.
     Your witness is in Indianapolis, where my good friend Steve 
Goldsmith, when he was the mayor, pioneered the Front Porch Alliance, a 
partnership between city hall and the values shaping institutions in 
Indianapolis that helped transform this city. And thank you for being 
here today, Steve.
     You know that childcare vouchers are used at houses of worship. You 
know the Head Start Programs are often found in religious settings. You 
know that many public services in our cities are provided through 
Catholic Charities or the Salvation Army. You know that many Government 
dollars in Medicaid and Medicare are used in religious hospitals. In all 
these cases, we are funding the good works of the faithful, not faith 
itself. Do the critics of this approach really want to end these 
programs? I certainly hope not. It would be bad for America.
     I understand, mayors, my administration did not invent the idea of 
community empowerment. But along with you, we're going to build on it. 
Together, we're going to convince the skeptics. Together, we're going to 
put the Federal Government and local government squarely on the side of 
America's armies of compassion.
     There are great stories in every great city, stories of grand 
ambition and immigrant enterprise and cultural achievement. There are 
also stories of suffering, redeemed by hope and faith. And we should 
listen to those stories, as well.
     The Brightmore neighborhood in northwest Detroit can be a tough 
place to grow up. Some people even ask, ``Can anything good come out of 
Brightmore?'' Well, it turns out that much good does come out of that 
neighborhood. At Rosedale Park Baptist Church, a group of young men and 
women have committed their lives to bringing hope to young African-
Americans. And one of the

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young men they've helped is Demarco Howard.
    Demarco's dad had been in prison since he was a baby. His mom was 
addicted to drugs and was unable to raise him, so his aunt took on the 
responsibility, and she did the very best job she could possibly do. But 
life was tough. Demarco was shot when he was 6 and spent a year in the 
hospital recovering. He was often in trouble, and at the age of 14, was 
arrested and sent to a juvenile detention facility. At that facility, 
Demarco met someone on the staff of Rosedale Park Baptist Church. 
Demarco began attending Bible study classes, and his life began to 
change in dramatic ways.
     He goes to school; he does his homework; he goes to church; and he 
volunteers to help other kids in trouble. I had a chance to look Demarco 
in the eye and thank him for his leadership, and asked him how life was. 
And he said, ``It's getting a lot better, Mr. President.'' Thank you for 
coming, Demarco.
     America can be saved, one heart, one soul, one conscience at a 
time. The pastor of Rosedale, Dennis Talbert, is fond of quoting a 
passage from the Book of Romans: ``When I want to do good, evil is right 
there with me.'' That accurately describes the situation of many of our 
children in America. Evil is what his church is fighting against, with 
impressive results. And it's worth noting that Rosedale's outreach 
programs are financially supported by the Department of Justice and 
Michigan's Family Independence Agency, among others, and it shows what 
is possible.
     Stories like these are being written all across America, and it's 
the goal of this administration to praise them at every chance and to 
replicate them where we can. I hope you continue your good works as 
mayors. You're on the frontline. At least in Washington, we don't have 
to worry about how the garbage gets emptied. [Laughter] But at least in 
Washington, we can work in Washington to make sure the garbage gets 
changed. We can make sure that we think differently about the problems 
that confront us. We can make sure we ask the question, ``What are the 
results?'' not, ``What is the process?'' And together, we can rally the 
great compassion and faith and hope of America.
     Thank you for what you do, and thank you for giving me the chance 
to come by and say hello. God bless.

  Note:  The President spoke at 12:19 p.m. in the Columbus Ballroom at 
the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. In his remarks, he referred to 
Mayor Victor Ashe of Knoxville, TN, past president, and Mayor H. Brent 
Coles of Boise, ID, president, U.S. Conference of Mayors; Gov. John 
Engler of Michigan; Michelle Engler, wife of Governor Engler; Mayor 
Ronald Kirk of Dallas, TX; Mayor Kenneth L. Barr of Fort Worth, TX; 
Mayor Lee P. Brown of Houston, TX; and Mayor Dennis W. Archer of 
Detroit, MI.