[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 35 (Monday, September 3, 2001)]
[Pages 1240-1244]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the American Legion Convention in San Antonio, Texas

August 29, 2001

    Thank you all very much for that warm welcome. It's my honor to 
welcome you to my home State. We need the rain, so I appreciate you 
bringing it from all around the country. I want you to know, you're in a 
military town. The people of this city are always proud to honor those 
who serve and those who wear the uniform today.
    Mr. Mayor, thank you for your hospitality. I know on behalf of all 
the folks who have come to this convention, they thank you and your able 
staff, the good folks of San Antonio, for being such great hosts to this 
wonderful convention.
    It's an honor for San Antonio to host you. And it's a high honor for 
me to stand before my fellow Legionnaires as the Commander in Chief of 
the United States Military. And it was a higher honor to escort to this 
podium the Legion Auxiliary's Woman of the Year. You couldn't have made 
a finer choice.
    I want to thank Ray Smith, the national commander, for giving me a 
chance to come. And I want to thank him for his service. I want to thank 
Kristine West for her service, as well. I want to thank Bob Spanogle, 
the national adjutant. I want to thank the man who runs your Washington, 
DC, office, John Sommer, for working so closely with my administration. 
I want to welcome members of my Cabinet who are here, Tony Principi, 
Elaine Chao. And I understand that Henry Bonilla, the Congressman from 
this area, is here, and I want to say hello to Henry and his wife, 
Deborah.
    And finally, I want to introduce you all, if you haven't met him 
yet, to a fine man who's making a great Governor for Texas, my friend, 
the 47th Governor of the State of Texas, Rick Perry. Rick, you need to 
know, we've just come in from Crawford, Texas, and a lot of folks down 
there can't wait to vote for you.
    The American Legion was chartered in the years after World War I, 
just about the time

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that Dwight Eisenhower was a junior officer, living right here in San 
Antonio, Texas, at Fort Sam. You've seen wars and their aftermath. 
You've received millions into your ranks. You've seen our culture change 
for better and sometimes for worse.
    And yet, from that founding day in 1919, to this very day, the 
American Legion has never compromised its principles. As General Douglas 
MacArthur said at your 1951 convention, ``The American Legion has been 
invincibly faithful to God and to country.'' Those of us honored to 
serve in high office have commitments of our own to our Nation's 
veterans.
    I made my own commitments last year, when we met in Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin. Those commitments are now becoming policies. And the needs of 
our veterans are once again priorities of our Government.
    If you've worn the uniform, you know just how efficiently Government 
can sometimes work. When Government needed your services, it moved 
pretty fast. There weren't many delays, and that's exactly how 
Government ought to operate in repaying you for your service, in giving 
you the benefits you earned. Some of you are among the thousands of 
veterans whose claims have been delayed or, sadly enough, lost in the 
bureaucracy.
    At my direction, the Department of Veterans Affairs has begun to 
change the way it does business. And I put a good man in charge, my 
friend and your friend, Tony Principi. Tony is conducting a top-to-
bottom review of the VA claims processing.
    Reform has begun, and we're starting where the need is greatest. At 
present, there are more than 600,000 pending applications. A full 53,000 
of them have been pending for more than a year. And many were filed by 
veterans over the age of 70. Think about that: Here are thousands of men 
who served their country in Korea and World War II, or both. The last 
thing they need to hear from any Federal office are more routine 
excuses. That's wrong, and this administration is going to get it right.
    Under Secretary Principi, these claims are being given the highest 
priority. They will be brought to a fair resolution without excuses and 
without delay. I've also set the goal of improving cooperation between 
the VA and the Pentagon in providing care to those who served. By 
Executive order, I have created a task force to recommend major reforms 
in the delivery of health care to veterans and military retirees.
    Two distinguished Americans will lead the task force, Dr. Gail 
Wilensky, one of the Nation's leading authorities on health policy, and 
former Congressman Gerry Solomon, a long-time veteran's advocate, who 
served our Nation as a marine in the Korean conflict. I'm pleased to 
announce that Bob Spanogle of the American Legion has agreed and will 
serve on this task force to represent the American Legion.
    My administration is also serious about implementing the Veteran's 
Millennium Health Care Act, to ensure high-quality care. In my first 
budget, I asked Congress for an additional $1 billion for veteran 
benefits and services. And Secretary Principi recently announced six new 
centers for Parkinson's disease research and care and 41 new outpatient 
clinics in 28 States. All the better to serve our Nation's veterans.
    In the budget I submitted, veterans are a priority. My budgets will 
also discharge in full the most basic responsibility for the President, 
to provide for the security of the United States. In that 
responsibility, a President needs capable partners, and I have chosen 
well. I receive outstanding policy advice from Dr. Condoleezza Rice, 
Secretary of State Colin Powell. I'm so pleased that Don Rumsfeld is 
back for a second tour at the Pentagon. And the Nation has never had a 
finer Vice President than Dick Cheney. Well, maybe it's a tie.
    Last week in Crawford, I had the honor of selecting a new Chairman 
for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to replace a good and honorable man who 
served our Nation well, and that's General Hugh Shelton. I picked a 
native of Kansas City, Missouri, Air Force General Richard Myers, and as 
Vice Chairman, I picked the first marine ever, Pete Pace. I have assured 
both men and every man and woman serving today that the services will 
receive the support and means they need to operate.
    I recently signed a bill allocating over $2 billion in supplemental 
appropriations for

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military pay, benefits, and health care. In order to boost the morale of 
our military, it starts with taking care of our people.
    But there's more. This budget I submitted to Congress makes national 
defense a priority. I've asked Congress to provide the largest increase 
in military spending since Ronald Reagan was the President and Commander 
in Chief of the United States.
    And to meet any dangers, our administration will begin building the 
military of the future. We must and we will make major investments in 
research and development. And we are committed to defending America and 
our allies against ballistic missile attacks, against weapons of mass 
destruction held by rogue leaders in rogue nations that hate America, 
hate our values, and hate what we stand for.
    We have a clear eye on foreign policy. We recognize it's a dangerous 
world. I know this Nation still has enemies, and we cannot expect them 
to be idle. And that's why security is my first responsibility. And I 
will not permit any course that leaves America undefended.
    In all of these efforts, I hope to have the support of the good 
people in this room. The American Legion is one of the most respected 
institutions in our Nation and one of the most familiar. After all, on 
the main streets all across America, the Legion hall itself is a center 
of civic life, a place where speeches, sometimes too long--[laughter]--
are heard; it's where the Scout troops meet; it's where special events 
are celebrated.
    I recently had the honor of welcoming the leaders of tomorrow, those 
of Boys and Girls Nation, to the White House. And I applaud you for your 
efforts at promoting character in our young. And I also can't thank you 
enough for promoting baseball as the American pastime.
    With nearly 15,000 posts and close to 3 million members, the Legion 
helps make America better every single day. You're recognized not merely 
as an organization of interests but, as importantly, an organization of 
values. You represent an ethic of service. When you teach the values of 
honor and patriotism and personal responsibility, you teach by example. 
And when you speak of the American flag and the legal protection it 
deserves, you speak with authority. And you are right.
    You may have heard recently, this past month I've been outside of 
Washington. I set up a Western White House, right up the road in 
Crawford, Texas. But I've been spending a lot of time traveling the 
heartland of America. And I'll do more traveling this fall, speaking 
about my agenda and the values behind it.
    I plan to speak about the values of service and good citizenship 
that sustains our country. That's where the greatness of America shines 
through, not in the halls of Government but in the character of our 
citizens.
    One of the important goals of my administration is to invigorate the 
spirit and involvement of our citizens, to make sure no one is left out 
of the great American Dream. I've created an Office of Faith-Based and 
Community Initiatives in the White House. And I'm asking Congress to 
join me in my efforts.
    It's time to bring new support and new resources to institutions 
that help people in need. When people of faith provide social services 
and the love that is needed, Government must welcome them with open arms 
and not discriminate faith-based programs in America.
    Oh, there's a lot we've got to get done this fall, and I'm looking 
forward to getting back to work. In the coming weeks, Congress will be 
going to what they call a conference committee on a Patients' Bill of 
Rights. I support a good bill that's already passed the House, one that 
serves patients first and doctors but one that will not encourage 
frivolous or junk lawsuits that could conceivably throw people off their 
health care insurance. I'm hopeful they'll move quickly and get a good 
bill on my desk.
    On Medicare, I've laid out commonsense principles for strengthening 
the program, including overdue--long-overdue coverage for prescription 
drugs in Medicare.
    As parents, grandparents, concerned citizens, all of you are 
concerned about the quality of our public schools, and I appreciate your 
involvement. We want the best for our children, and no question it 
begins with making sure every child is educated and making sure our 
public schools not only teach how to read and write and add and subtract 
but

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teach our children the values that have been sustained over a long 
period of time, the values necessary to become good citizens.
    There's a bill that passed the House; there's a bill that passed the 
Senate. When they get back, I hope they don't play politics with the 
education bill. They need to get it to my desk quickly, so I can sign it 
and reform the public schools all across America.
    And of course the Members will be coming back to consider the pieces 
of legislation as well as to make necessary spending decisions. So far 
this year, the signs have been pretty good about how they're going to 
spend your money. We got a bipartisan budget passed. That's an important 
guideline as how best to spend taxpayers' money.
    In record time, as well, Congress passed, I signed, and the mailman 
is now delivering the largest tax cut in a generation. Our economy began 
slowing down last year, and that's bad news. And I'm deeply worried 
about the working families all across the country. According to today's 
GDP figures, the recovery is very slow in coming. But with the tax 
reduction already in place, Americans will have more of their own money 
to spend, to save and invest, the very things that make our economy 
grow. Tax relief is exactly the right time--thing, the right 
prescription at the right time for the American economy.
    Now, there are some who are second-guessing tax relief. You hear the 
voices beginning to filter out of their home States. I presume those who 
now oppose tax relief are for raising your taxes. That would tie an 
anchor on our economy, and I can assure you I won't allow it.
    In the next few weeks, Congress will face some critical choices and 
some old temptations. I'm asking them to let go of some of the old ways 
of doing business in Washington, DC. Most of you have been around long 
enough to know how the process works. Often the important things are put 
off to the last, and in the meantime, lots of new spending gets thrown 
in. Near the end of the process, suddenly we hear that Congress is about 
to go over the budget, so the items that have been saved for last are 
the ones most likely to get cut.
    And guess which--guess what usually has been saved for the last? The 
defense bill, leaving our national security at the mercy of budget games 
and last-minute cuts. This year, we might even see our administration's 
two highest priorities, education and national defense, being played off 
against each other.
    That's the old way of doing business, and it's time to stop it. We 
may have different agendas in Washington, but we all have the same basic 
obligations. We must start with the things that matter most to the 
future and security of our country. This time, and from this time 
forward, let us put education and national defense at the first of the 
line, not at the last.
    I return to Washington tomorrow, ready to make my case and ready to 
work with folks on both sides of the aisle. Dick Cheney and I didn't 
seek our offices so we could just settle in and mark time. We didn't 
come to rubber stamp the status quo. We came to challenge old 
assumptions and to provide new directions. We came to get something done 
for the country and to change the tone in our national discourse.
    I'm proud of the progress we have been making, yet there's a lot to 
do. And I realize the American people are counting on us. You have given 
me a perfect sendoff. I leave honored by your support and grateful for 
your service to our great land.
    Thank you all very much. May God bless.

Note: The President spoke at 10:26 a.m. at the Henry B. Gonzalez 
Convention Center. In his remarks, he referred to Mayor Edward D. Garza 
of San Antonio; Ray G. Smith, national commander, Bob Spanogle, national 
adjutant, and John F. Sommer, executive director, Washington office, the 
American Legion; Kristine West, national president, the American Legion 
Auxiliary; and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. He also referred to the 
American Legion Auxiliary's Woman of the Year award, which was awarded 
to First Lady Laura Bush; Executive Order 13214, President's Task Force 
To Improve Health Care Delivery for Our Nation's Veterans, published in 
the Federal Register on May 31; and Public Law No. 106-117, the Veterans 
Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act, approved November 30, 1999.

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