[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 31 (Monday, August 5, 2002)]
[Pages 1295-1296]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks in a Telephone Conversation With Senate Leaders

August 1, 2002

[The conversation is joined in progress.]

Trade Promotion Authority Legislation

    The President. Chairman Baucus, and Grassley----
    Senator Charles E. Grassley. We're here.
    The President. And I understand Trent Lott is there as well.
    Senator Trent Lott. Yes, Mr. President.
    The President. Well, thank you three very much for your leadership. 
I want to congratulate you all for achieving an historic--historic 
moment in our Nation, because what you all have done is, you've made it 
much more likely somebody is going to be able to find work, and some 
farmer is going to be able to sell his product, and some nation is going 
to be able to trade with us, which will help lift them out of poverty.
    I want to congratulate you very much for your fine work, on your 
bipartisan effort. Max and Chuck worked well together, and I'm just 
calling to congratulate you and thank you, for a grateful nation.
    Senator Lott. Mr. President, this is Trent. I want to thank you for 
your leadership. You came to town saying this is something we needed to 
do; we needed to give this authority back to our President. And because 
you continued to push for it and emphasize what it will mean to American 
families and workers and farmers and ranchers and business men and 
women, we got it done.
    And I want to say that I certainly agree when you give credit to 
Chairman Baucus and to Senator Grassley. They were very persistent. They 
worked with our House colleagues--Bill Thomas obviously did a great job. 
And your representatives here, Secretary Evans and Ambassador Zoellick, 
they were there, many times at all hours. Sometimes we were trying to 
bait them, but they did a great job. [Laughter] And I think this is a 
great moment for our country. And we can get back into promoting trade 
worldwide.
    The President. Well, we really can. Thanks for saying that, Trent. I 
appreciate--it's a team effort, and the House gets a lot of credit, and 
Max and Bill Thomas stayed up late one night and got it done.
    Senator Max Baucus. That's right, Mr. President, though I must say 
it was more than one night, regrettably. [Laughter]

[[Page 1296]]

    The President. Well, that's why they've got August breaks.
    Senator Baucus. Mr. President, you're our leader here. You got us 
going, and we all deeply appreciate that. I think this legislation is 
going to help restore American trade prestige worldwide, something we 
desperately needed. It also will help give the economy a boost. And 
third, it will help protect American workers displaced by trade and help 
build that consensus, for that is so needed for strong, aggressive trade 
legislation to open markets overseas for America.
    I want to thank you so much for your strong, bipartisan approach to 
this. And I might say, Mr. President, we've now given you the authority, 
so we're kind of expecting you to kind of help negotiate these really 
good, strong trade agreements.
    The President. Well, I----
     Senator Baucus. And when you do, we're going to be there backing 
you up to help to make them as strong as they can be.
    The President. Thanks, Max. I accept it. You've got Zoellick sitting 
right there--of course, he's going to be our point man on trade. And he 
now--he's got his running shoes on. He's going to hit the ground running 
to bring us some good trade agreements. And I appreciate that very much.
    Senator Baucus. Mr. President, I'll give you time to think about 
this, but do you have a nickname for this trade bill?
    The President. Not yet. [Laughter]
    Senator Baucus. I'm sure you will a little later on.
    The President. Not yet, Maxie.
    Senator Baucus. Okay.
    Senator Lott. This is a jobs bill, isn't it?
    The President. It's a jobs bill.
    Senator Baucus. Okay.
    The President. It sure is. How's Senator Grassley doing? Are you 
there, Senator?
    Senator Grassley. Yes. Well, for sure, this is going to put America 
in the middle of all of the free trade agreements now that are being 
negotiated. And the United States won't be left out, as we have been so 
much of the 190 that have been approved. But most importantly, I 
appreciate your recognition--and I know you know it, but I'm glad you 
said it, as well--the bipartisanship that you have to have to get 
anything done in the United States Senate. And that tradition is no 
stronger on any issue than on trade.
    And working with Senator Baucus to make this happen has been a real 
privilege, and working with you as well. So thanks to both of you for 
your leadership.
    The President. Well, thank you all very much. I'm proud of you. I 
look forward to signing the bill soon. And I look forward to bringing 
some trade agreements back to the Congress that will help workers and 
farmers and ranchers.
    So, good work. You did your jobs. Go on home and take a break now.
    Senator Grassley. You bet.
    Senator Baucus. Thank you, Mr. President.
    The President. Thank you all. Bye-bye.

Note: The President spoke at 5:05 p.m. from the Oval Office at the White 
House.