[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 5 (Monday, February 4, 2002)]
[Page 133]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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

January 28, 2002

Medicare

    The President. I want to thank the Members from both the House and 
the Senate, both of the political parties, for coming to discuss an 
incredibly important issue, and that is Medicare. We had good 
discussions last year, and now it's time to get something done.
    We need a comprehensive reform plan that includes prescription drugs 
for every senior. And the will of the folks around this table is to work 
together to do just that, is to make sure our seniors have got the 
capacity to have a--to purchase prescription drugs. That's what we all 
want.
    And I believe that given the right focus and the right efforts, we 
can achieve that objective. And while we're doing so, we want Medicare 
to be modernized. We want it to be a system that is relevant for seniors 
today and for tomorrow. And it's not. It's a system--it's old, and it's 
tired, and it needs to be looked at in a way that recognizes we've made 
a commitment to our country's seniors. But we want the commitment to 
work.
    And so, the Members around this table have all come back to town and 
said, ``Let's get something done.'' And I'm so thrilled to have them 
here, and I appreciate the spirit. And it's going to require that kind 
of spirit to get it done.
    I'm looking forward to my speech tomorrow night. I will mention 
Medicare in my speech. We need to make it work; we need for there to be 
a prescription drug plan in the program.
    Thank you all for coming.

Legislative Agenda in an Election Year

    Q. Do you think it will be likely in an election year, sir? Is it 
likely in an election year, sir?
    The President. You know, that's why you run for office. Election 
year or no election year, it's time to get something done. And this is 
not an issue for the faint-hearted, but it's the right thing to do. And 
Members around here understand it.

Note: The President spoke at 3:27 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of these remarks.