[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 36 (Monday, September 10, 2001)]
[Pages 1270-1274]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Departure With President Fox for Toledo, Ohio, and an 
Exchange With Reporters

September 6, 2001

    President Bush. Thank you very much. The President and I are about 
to get on Marine One and then Air Force One and fly to Toledo, Ohio. I 
look forward to a joint appearance in the heartland of America. We're 
going to have a great day in Toledo.
    We had a great day here yesterday as well. Not only did we have a 
successful state dinner last night, but we had a series of meetings that 
confirmed our close relationship and built on our trust. As I said, 
Mexico is an incredibly important part of the United States' foreign 
policy. It is our most important relationship, because Mexico is our 
neighbor, and neighbors must work together. And we do.
    We're confronting a series of opportunities and issues. Over the 
past hours, we discussed the importance of NAFTA, not only between 
Canada and Mexico and the United States but free trade throughout the 
hemisphere.
    We discussed a variety of issues that relate to trade. Trucking is 
an issue about which we had a long discussion. Mexican trucks ought to 
be moving in the United States. I call upon Congress to take that 
provision out of the appropriations bill. Otherwise, I will veto the 
bill.
    We talked about some commodity issues that we have faced. We had an 
issue on avocados, for example. For those of you avocado lovers, you'll 
be pleased to hear that we've solved that problem, and I believe the 
President is pleased with the progress we're making.
    When we trade as much as we do, there are going to be issues that 
inevitably arise. And we will deal with those with mutual respect and 
honest discourse.
    Secondly, I'm pleased to report that we've made great progress in 
cooperation in fighting crime. The President told me yesterday about 
some additional criminals who have

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been arrested in Mexico. This is a crime-fighting President. He is 
dedicated to working with our law enforcement officials to interdict 
drugs and guns and ``coyotes'' on the border. And Mr. President, I 
appreciate your effort.
    Our Congress ought to change the decertification process that, to 
me, sends the wrong signal to our friends to the south. To have an 
annual certification process really, I don't think, is fair to Mexico, 
and I think it's counterproductive. And I hope they change the law on 
decertification.
    And finally, an area that has gained a lot of interest, because it's 
an important issue, of course, is the issue of migration. We've had a 
lot of frank discussions on migration. We share a lot of principles: 
one, that we both recognize how important the contribution to our 
economy the Mexican workers have made; that we want people treated with 
respect; that we both have a mutual and shared responsibility to make 
sure our border is safe and that we enforce the border; that I hope to 
come forward with a program that will pass the Congress, that deals with 
guestworkers with some sense of normalization. And I would like to do 
that as soon as possible.
    There's obviously a sense of urgency in the President's message. I 
hear that sense of urgency, and my administration is willing to work as 
hard as we possibly can to get something done in a constructive fashion.
    Mr. President, I think this is a continuation on the road for trust, 
respect, and cooperation. And I want to thank you very much for your 
coming here. I appreciate so very much you bringing your beautiful wife. 
I look forward to our trip to Toledo, and then our dinner tonight at the 
Blair House with the President.
    Mr. President.
    President Fox. Okay, I will not have much more to add on this 
summary of what great has been these 2 days to us Mexicans and to us in 
Mexico. The trust factor, no doubt that is key. And these 2 days have 
been a great opportunity to advance in our conversations, in our frank 
speaking--all of this aimed at increasing that trust
    And for the rest, I'm fully recognized and totally honored on the 
warm reception we have had, on the opportunity, extended opportunity, to 
discuss and dialog on different issues and matters with President Bush. 
And so, to me, if I would describe this, it's a process, a process that 
started back in Mexico in our first formal meeting, a process that has 
continued on an everyday basis by our working teams. And this I would 
call a station, one first station, which has been this state visit to 
the United States, where we had the opportunity to review the issues, to 
advance on each of the issues, and to keep on the commitment to work 
hard for the coming months and the coming years.
    So that's totally satisfactory to us. I really thank the American 
people for the warm welcome we have had, and specifically from Mr. Bush 
and his lovely wife, the attentions we have had are just something that 
we--over-exceeded any expectations that we would have had.

[At this point, President Fox made brief remarks in Spanish, and no 
translation was provided.]

Immigration Policy

    Q. Mr. President, even with this sense of urgency on immigration, 
tell me how difficult it will be to get a deal in the next year. And 
when you do give legal status to undocumented immigrants, how will you 
justify that action to the millions of Mexicans still waiting in line 
for legal entry and the millions more people who are living in this 
country now after plowing through the legal process?
    President Bush. Right. Ron [Ron Fournier, Associated Press], you've 
just identified one of the complexities of the migration issue. I 
explained this to President Fox, that there are some--many in our 
country who are undocumented. And we want to make sure that their labor 
is legal. And so part of the issue is, how do we match a willing 
employer with a willing employee, to recognize the value of the work and 
to legalize that part of the process? And that's where we need to think 
creatively on a guestworker program.
    I mean, the truth of the matter is that if somebody is willing to do 
jobs others in America aren't willing to do, we ought to welcome that 
person to the country, and we

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ought to make that a legal part of our economy. We ought not to penalize 
an employer who's trying to get a job done who hires somebody who's 
willing to do that kind of work.
    So that's part of the complexity. The second half of your question 
really does point out another problem that we have to work through, and 
that is there are--one of the things I have told the President is, I am 
willing to consider ways to--for a guestworker to earn a green card 
status. And yet I fully recognize there are a lot of people who have 
stood in line, who have said, ``I'll abide by the laws of the United 
States.'' And we're trying to work through a formula that will not 
penalize the person who's chosen the legal route, and at the same time, 
recognizes the contribution that the undocumented has made.
    That is part of the reason I say this is an incredibly complex 
issue. It is complex to the point where my administration is going to 
spend a lot of time on resolving that type of question. But to make 
matters even more complicated, we've got to work with the Congress, and 
we've got to come up with a solution that will--Congress can accept.
    Now, I fully understand President Fox's desire for us to expedite 
our--to come up with a solution quickly, to expedite the process. And 
we're going to do that. I think one of the useful parts of this visit is 
for me to be able to sit down face to face, ojo a ojo, and to talk about 
why this is a complex issue within the country. That's precisely part of 
the issue.
    Q. You don't sound like you can get it done in 4 months, though.
    President Bush. Well, he's asked that we do it within the year. One 
thing he will find is that we will put 100 percent effort into it during 
the year, and I hope we can come up with a solution. I want to 
accommodate my friend.
    He's got a very important role to play, and that is as a spokesman 
for Mexican nationals living in this country, as someone who is deeply 
concerned about their future, their lives. And I completely understand 
that, and I can assure the President and the people of Mexico, we have 
heard his call. He is a strong, forceful leader, and we will do 
everything we can to come up with a solution to this complex problem.
    Q. Mr. President, along those same lines----
    President Bush. Him? Which President? [Laughter]
    Q. President Bush, I'm sorry.
    President Bush. Here we go again, six to nothing. [Laughter]
    Q. Sir, could you be more specific as to whether or not, among the 
set of issues, or the set of values or principles that you share on 
immigration, you share specifically the goal of finishing this 
negotiation by the end of the year? And----
    President Bush. I share the idea of working as hard as we possibly 
can. Listen, we came--the President came to Washington--I'm sorry to 
interrupt you.
    Q. Well, I'm sorry. I just wanted to say----
    President Bush. Actually, I'm not sorry to interrupt you. I did it--
it's an old trick here. [Laughter]
    Q. I just wanted to ask you if--what would the United States want to 
see in return? Something----
    President Bush. In return?
    Q. In return for this negotiation, and for maybe regularizing a 
number of Mexican--illegal Mexican immigrants in the United States.
    President Bush. Well, I think--first of all, I think that--I don't 
think we ought to view this issue necessarily as a quid pro quo issue. 
This is an issue that we must confront regardless of a Mexican response. 
This is an employment issue in the United States.
    We've got employers who can't find workers and, therefore, then 
employ undocumented workers. And under our law, that's illegal. And it 
seems like, to me, we ought to have a direct and honest assessment of 
reality. But we are getting what we wanted from Mexico, regardless of 
the details of this particular issue, and that is strong cooperation. 
That's all we can ask.
    And the President is been very forward-leaning in working with us on 
a variety of matters, including better border enforcement and making 
sure we find those ``coyotes'' who are gathering illegals or 
undocumented folks and trying to run them into

[[Page 1273]]

our country for profit. I can't think of anything worse. And yet, this 
administration and this Government and our Governments are cooperating 
very closely on ferreting out those people who are willing to prey on 
innocent hard-working people, and stop that kind of activity. That's the 
kind of cooperation we expect and we're getting.

Microsoft Antitrust Case

    Q. Mr. President, why are you abandoning the Clinton 
administration's attempt to break up Microsoft? Will this help 
consumers? And did you sign-off on this decision?
    President Bush. He's asking about a legal matter, Mr. President.
    During the course of the campaign and throughout my administration, 
I have made it abundantly clear that on issues relating to lawsuits, 
ongoing lawsuits, that I expect the Justice Department to handle that in 
a way that--in a way that brings honor and thought to the process. I 
respect and hold our Attorney General in high esteem, and I honor the 
work he's done. And I'm going to leave it at that.
    Q. You're satisfied with the decision?
    President Bush. I am satisfied with the fact that John Ashcroft is 
doing a fine job as the Attorney General.

[At this point, a question was asked in Spanish. President Fox answered 
the question in Spanish, and a translation was not provided.]

    President Bush. For those of you who don't speak Spanish, he said, 
``President Bush's tax cut came right at the right time.'' [Laughter]

Social Security Surplus

    Q. Mr. President, on that same rough subject, when you met with 
Republican leaders this morning, did you promise them, as they describe 
it, that no--that every dime of Social Security will be protected? Does 
that mean you will not sign any bills that even temporarily take from 
it?
    President Bush. I told the Republican----
    Q. And President Fox is welcome to take a swing at that, too.
    President Bush. He probably doesn't want to. I told the Republican 
leaders, like I told Mr. Daschle and I will tell Mr. Gephardt tomorrow, 
we can work together to avoid dipping into Social Security. I have 
repeatedly said the only time to use Social Security money is in times 
of war, times of recession, or times of severe emergency. And I mean 
that. I mean that.
    I think it is best for me to start working in a cooperative fashion 
with the Members of Congress, start by saying, let's work together to 
make sure that our budgets don't cause us to dip into Social Security. 
And of course, I've always got the ultimate way to make sure we bring 
fiscal sanity into Washington. That's what we call a veto, Mr. 
President. But rather than come from the negative perspective, my 
attitude, as we begin the fall session, is to say, we can work together. 
Let's do so.
    I'll repeat to the American people, there is ample money coming into 
our Government to fund our priorities. And what we need is fiscal 
discipline in Washington, DC. The tax cut that we passed was a very 
important move to make sure our economy begins to gather momentum and 
grow.
    The President knows what I know: When our economy is ill or slow or 
not meeting expectations, it affects our neighborhood. He's getting 
blamed for something that's taking place in America, and that's not 
fair. And so our tax relief plan is a part of an economic growth 
package.
    I urge the Congress to pass an energy package. That's a job creation 
package. That's part of economic growth. I urge the Congress to pass 
trade promotion authority. If people are interested in growing our 
economy so that there are more jobs available, then they ought to not 
only herald the tax relief plan; they ought to be thinking about how to 
pass an energy package and a trade promotion authority package, as well. 
That's important for growth. We ought to be thinking, in Washington, DC, 
how to grow the economy.
    Now, I realize, Mr. President, sometimes there are second-guessers 
in the political process, and there are some in Washington who appear to 
be second-guessing the tax relief plan. My guess is, is that they 
probably want to raise taxes. If they're against relief, the fundamental 
question is what they're for. And I suspect, if they're against one 
thing,

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they must be for raising taxes. And my argument to them is, that would 
hurt the economy.
    The best way for us to continue economic growth is to have a pro-
growth plan in place and have fiscal discipline in Washington, DC. I 
look forward to working with the members of both parties to insist upon 
and implement a package that is fiscally disciplined. And we can do 
that, and I'm confident we can do that.

Note: The President spoke at 12:30 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Martha Sahagun de Fox, wife of 
President Fox.