[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 25 (Monday, June 23, 2003)]
[Pages 780-781]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the Congressional Picnic

June 18, 2003

    The President. Listen, thank you all for coming. Laura and I and 
Dick and Lynne are so happy you all are here. And we're really happy 
it's not raining. [Laughter]
    Audience member. [Inaudible]
    The President. I bet you are.
    First, we're so thrilled that Dennis Edwards and the Temptations 
Review has joined us tonight. We expect to see some serious rug-cutting 
or, in this case, grass-cutting. [Laughter]
    We do want to thank the families who are here. We're so grateful for 
the wives and husbands of the Members of the Senate and the Congress for 
being so patient with your loved ones and for supporting them in their 
service to the United States of America. We want to thank the sons and 
daughters as well for understanding your dad and your mom are serving 
something greater than themselves in life.
    I want to thank all the Members of Congress from both political 
parties for doing such a fine job on behalf of the United States of 
America. You know what I know: We're blessed to live in a great country. 
And one

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of the things that makes us great is we've got tremendous values. We 
believe in freedom, respect for others, personal responsibility. And 
today is a day for us all to come together and to celebrate those 
fantastic values and for us--for Laura and me and for Dick and Lynne--to 
thank you on behalf of a grateful nation for serving our country so 
well.
    May God bless you and your families, and may God continue to bless 
the United States of America.
    Enjoy yourselves.

Note: The President spoke at 6:10 p.m. on the South Grounds at the White 
House.