[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 17 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Pages 811-818]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the National Economy and an Exchange With Reporters

April 28, 2006

    The President. Thank you very much for joining us today. I'm joined 
by my two top White House economic advisers. The reason why is because 
we've had some very positive economic news today: The Commerce 
Department announced that our economy grew at an impressive 4.8 percent 
annual rate in the first quarter of this year. That's the fastest rate 
since 2003. This rapid growth is another sign that our economy is on the 
fast track.
    The good news comes on the heels of two other important economic 
indicators reported earlier this week: New home sales surged forward by 
nearly 14 percent last month; consumer confidence reached its highest 
level since May of 2002. This confidence is largely driven by the many 
jobs being created in our country--5.1 million since August of 2003.
    This good news cannot be taken for granted. With gas prices on the 
minds of Americans, we need to keep our foot on the pedal of this strong 
economy. The surest way to put the brakes on our economic growth would 
be to raise taxes or spend too much of the people's money here in 
Washington. That's why I'm going to continue to work with Congress to 
make the tax relief that helped spur this economic growth permanent. 
That's why I'm going to work with Congress to restrain the Federal 
Government's appetite for spending. And that's why I'm going to work 
with Congress to make this country less dependent on foreign sources of 
oil.
    I commend America's workers and small-business owners, innovators 
and educators for contributing to the strong economic health of our 
Nation. I will continue to pursue progrowth policies so that opportunity 
reaches every American neighborhood and every American family.
    With that, I'll be glad to take a couple of questions.
    Q. Mr. President----
    The President. Excuse me, please. Jennifer [Jennifer Loven, 
Associated Press].

Iran

    Q. Thank you, sir. The IAEA says that Iran is not in compliance with 
the Security Council. What sort of sanctions do you--would you like to 
see and--that could bring Russia and Chinese support?
    The President. The IAEA statement is an important statement. It 
reminds the nations of the world that there is an ongoing diplomatic 
effort to convince the Iranians to give up their nuclear weapons 
ambitions. It reminds--it should remind the Iranians that the world is 
united and concerned about their desire to have not only a nuclear 
weapon but the capacity to make a nuclear weapon or the knowledge to 
make a nuclear weapon, all of which we're working hard to convince them 
not to try to achieve.
    I will consult and continue to consult with our allies on this 
issue. I spoke to Chancellor Merkel this morning about this issue. She 
will be coming to Washington next week. We will continue discussions 
about how we can continue to maintain a united front. It's very 
important for the Iranians to understand there's a common desire by a 
lot of nations in this world to convince them, peacefully convince them, 
that they ought to give up their weapons ambitions.
    Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].

Fuel/Energy

    Q. Thank you, sir. You mentioned gas prices; would you go along with 
an effort by some Senate Republicans that could levy a significant tax 
on oil companies' profits? And does it bother you that the oil companies 
are racking up these record profits when people are paying $3 a gallon?
    The President. My attitude is that the oil companies need to be 
mindful that the American people expect them to reinvest their cash 
flows in such a way that it enhances our energy security. That means 
pipeline construction for natural gas deliveries. That means expansion 
of refineries. That means exploration in environmentally friendly ways. 
It also means investment in renewable sources of energy. And that's what 
the American people expect. They also expect to be

[[Page 812]]

treated fairly at the pump, and that's why the Federal Trade Commission 
is going to monitor the situation very carefully to make sure the 
American people are treated fairly.
    Q. So ``no'' to a tax on profits?
    The President. Look, the temptation in Washington is to tax 
everything, and they spend the money--``they'' being the people in 
Washington. The answer is, is for there to be strong reinvestment to 
make this country more secure from an energy perspective.
    Listen, these oil prices are a wake-up call. We're dependent upon 
oil, and we need to get off oil. And the best way to do so is through 
technology. And I've been traveling the country talking about the need 
to develop alternative sources of energy, such as ethanol, and to spend 
money to advance technologies, such as new battery technology that will 
enable us to have plug-in hybrid vehicles. We signed a good energy bill 
a while ago, and that encouraged--for example, one thing it's got in 
there is a tax credit to encourage people to purchase hybrid vehicles so 
that the consumptive patterns of the American people change.
    And the American people have got to understand that we're living in 
a global economy, and so when China and India demand more oil, it 
affects the price of gasoline at the pump. And therefore, it's important 
for us to diversify away from oil.
    But it's also important for the people to understand that one of the 
reasons why the price is gasoline is up is, there's tight gasoline 
supplies. And one reason there's tight gasoline supplies is because we 
haven't built any new refineries since the 1970s. And therefore, 
Congress needs to provide regulatory relief so people can expand their 
refineries.
    So it's a combination of people investing the cash flows, as well as 
regulatory relief to enhance the ability for people to achieve the 
objective, which is more gasoline on the market, which will help our 
consumers.
    Dick Keil [Richard Keil, Bloomberg News].

Sudan

    Q. Thank you, Mr. President. You have a meeting later today on 
Darfur, and the Sudanese Government continues to thwart efforts by the 
U.N. and other multinational organizations to take a firmer control of 
the situation there. Is there anything you can do to leverage the 
Sudanese Government, and what's your message to them?
    The President. My message to them is, we expect there to be full 
compliance with the international desire for there to be peace in the 
Darfur region. We have taken the situation to the United Nations 
Security Council. My belief is that the AU forces that are on the 
ground--and by the way, we helped the AU forces get in there in the 
first place--we think that force needs to be expanded and blue-helmeted 
with the NATO overlay, with NATO help.
    And so therefore, the message to the Sudanese Government is, we're 
very serious about getting this problem solved. We don't like it when we 
see women raped and brutalized. And we expect there to be a full effort 
by the Government to protect human life and human condition.
    We also recognize there's a parallel political track taking place, 
and that we urge the rebels, as well as the Government to forge a 
consensus at Abuja, so that there is a way forward from this--from the 
impasse, political impasse that has taken place thus far in Sudan. There 
is a good go-by for people to look at, and that is the north-south 
agreement that this Government helped fashion under the leadership of 
Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as Special Envoy Jack Danforth. 
The north-south agreement shows that political solutions are possible.
    And so we expect the Sudanese Government to be good-faith 
bargainers; we expect the rebels to be good-faith bargainers. But we 
also expect people to--particularly the Sudanese Government, to make a 
more concerted effort to control the Janjaweed and protect human life. 
The meeting today and the rallies around the country are a clear signal 
that the United States is committed to peace in Darfur.
    Mark Smith [Associated Press Radio].

Iran

    Q. Mr. President, let's come back to Iran, if we can. The Iranians 
have said they're going to ignore what happens at the U.N. Security 
Council. Doesn't that mean the diplomatic options are dwindling?

[[Page 813]]

    The President. No, I think the diplomatic options are just 
beginning. As you might recall, about 6 or 7 months ago, you were asking 
me questions about the United Nations Security Council vis-a-vis Iran, 
and now we're headed to the United Nations Security Council. And I look 
forward to working with all interested parties to make sure that there's 
a common voice.
    Listen, the first thing that has to happen diplomatically for 
anything to be effective is that we all agree on the goal. And we've 
agreed on the goal, and that is the Iranians should not have a nuclear 
weapon, the capacity to make a nuclear weapon, or the knowledge as to 
how to make a nuclear weapon. And now that we've got the goal in mind, 
we're working on the tactics. And today's IAEA report should remind us 
all that the Iranian Government's intransigence is not acceptable.
    David Gregory [NBC News].

Second-Term Agenda

    Q. Mr. President, we're seeing some turnover and some change within 
your administration, and I wonder what it says about what you think is 
necessary to turn your Presidency around at this point?
    The President. I think it's necessary to continue doing--to 
achieving results for the American people. We've got big challenges for 
this country, and I've got a strategy to deal with them.
    The biggest challenge we face is winning the war on terror and to 
protect the American people. And we'll continue to keep on the offense, 
to keep the terrorists off balance, to find them and bring them to 
justice. And at the same time, we'll continue to work to spread 
democracy, understanding that democracy is the best way to defeat an 
ideology of hatred.
    At home, it's important to make sure this economy continues to grow, 
and that's why I'm working with Congress to make the tax cuts permanent. 
I fully understand there are some here who would like the tax cuts to 
expire, or raise taxes. In my judgment, that would be bad for the 
economy. It would hurt small-business formation and hurt the 
entrepreneurial spirit. So I will continue to work with Congress to make 
these tax cuts a real part of economic life for a long time coming.
    And we've also got to be wise about spending. I issued a veto threat 
the other day because I was deeply concerned that the supplemental was 
getting out of hand. And I recognize that in order for us to cut the 
deficit in half, we've got to keep progrowth economic policies in place, 
as well as control Federal spending.
    I talked about the need for this country not to fear the future but 
to shape it. In other words, we shouldn't worry about competition from 
China and India. And because--we can outcompete those countries if we're 
wise about what we do here at home. And one of the most wise things we 
can do is to make sure our children have got the skills necessary to 
fill the jobs of the 21st century.
    I've been talking about energy independence for a long period of 
time. You might remember, last summer, I was urging Congress to pass a 
comprehensive energy bill so that we could deal with conservation and 
new technologies and diversification. And so I'm going to keep working 
hard for the American people to get results.
    By the way, we're in the midst of implementing now a Medicare bill 
which is helping our seniors a lot. And if you--if a senior has not 
signed up, I urge you to take a look at the Medicare prescription drug 
program, particularly if you're a low-income senior. It's an enormous 
benefit, and it's a necessary benefit.
    So there's a lot to do today, but we'll continue to be results-
oriented.
    Martha Raddatz [ABC News].
    Q. Sir. I'm sorry, but I asked you about your internal changes and 
what that says about how you think things need to be changed. They've 
been very public, your internal changes.
    The President. Well, David, I'm a results-oriented person, and my 
job is to achieve things for the American people, positive results that 
make us more secure and more prosperous. And of course, I will have 
people by my side that work toward that objective.
    Thank you for your penetrating question.
    Q. Thank you.

[[Page 814]]

    The President. Plus, I'm not going to hire you, if that's what you 
were suggesting. [Laughter]
    Q. I was not suggesting that. [Laughter]
    The President. I would, except you can't pass the background check. 
[Laughter] Okay, an unnecessary cheap shot; I take it back.
    Martha.

Iran/Iraq

    Q. You often say Iran is not Iraq.
    The President. Yes, I do say that.
    Q. There are many people who fear that this will turn into a 
military confrontation. Why is Iran not Iraq? There's WMD----
    The President. Iraq went through 16 different Security Council 
resolutions. There was resolution after resolution after resolution. 
Iraq had invaded its neighbors. Iraq was shooting at U.S. aircraft. Iraq 
had actually used weapons of mass destruction on its people before. 
There's a difference between the two countries.
    Iran's desire to have a nuclear weapon is dangerous, in my judgment. 
The diplomatic process is just starting.
    Q. But when you talk about that, how many resolutions are you going 
to let go here? How far----
    The President. We haven't had one yet.
    Q. I know, but how far can you let them go? If you really fear that 
they're building a nuclear----
    The President. Wait until we even get one resolution first, before 
you ask me about the second resolution. The diplomatic process is just 
beginning. We're forming a strong coalition of like-minded countries 
that believe that the Iranians should not have a nuclear weapon. And 
I've told the American people that diplomacy is my first choice, and it 
should be the first choice of every American President in order to solve 
a very difficult problem. There are significant differences between Iran 
and Iraq.
    Kelly [Kelly O'Donnell, NBC News].

Spanish Version of National Anthem

    Q. Mr. President, a cultural question for you. There is a version of 
the national anthem in Spanish now. Do you believe it will hold the same 
value if sung in Spanish as in English?
    The President. No I don't.
    Q. Why, sir?
    The President. Because I think the national anthem ought to be sung 
in English. And I think people who want to be a citizen of this country 
ought to learn English, and they ought to learn to sing the national 
anthem in English.
    Axelrod [Jim Axelrod, CBS].

Iran

    Q. Mr. President.
    The President. Yes.
    Q. I just want to follow up one more time on Iran. Mr. Ahmadinejad 
was quoted this morning as saying, those who want to prevent Iranians 
from obtaining their right should ``know that we do not give a damn,'' 
his words, sir, ``about such resolutions.''
    The President. Okay.
    Q. When you're talking about diplomacy, sir, a question of tactics 
at this point, not goals. If you have, for instance, Russia saying, they 
don't want a Chapter VII resolution, if you're dealing with a gentleman 
who uses this kind of rhetoric, what kind of tactics can you possibly 
come up with?
    The President. I guess the first thing I would do is refer those 
comments to our partners and get their reaction, to see what they say, 
see how they react to those kind of comments. And I haven't had a chance 
to do that yet, since it just happened today. But I will continue to 
work with our friends and allies.
    Listen, key--step one is to have a common goal. I know that sounds 
simple to you, probably, but it wasn't always that way. The world wasn't 
always of like mind that the Iranians were, you know, headed for a 
weapon, and that that would be a dangerous course of action. And now we 
are of like mind. And so we are in the stage now of formulating a 
strategy to achieve a diplomatic solution to this problem.
    Q. But Mr. President, given everything you've been hearing from Mr. 
Ahmadinejad over the past several weeks and months, in your estimation, 
is this someone you can work with?
    The President. That's going to be his choice, eventually. And it's 
going to be very important for Mr. Ahmadinejad to recognize

[[Page 815]]

the world is united in our desire, and it's his choice to make.
    Carl Cameron [FOX News].

Fuel

    Q. Thank you, Mr. President, good morning.
    The President. Thank you.
    Q. Back to gas prices just a moment ago. Insofar as you directed 
some of your Cabinet this week to look into the possibility of price 
gouging, do you have a suspicion yourself, do you have evidence here at 
the White House, and should the American consumer believe that you think 
they're being ripped off?
    The President. I have no evidence that there's any rip-off taking 
place, but it's the role of the Federal Trade Commission to assure me 
that my inclination and instincts is right. More importantly, it's up to 
the Federal Trade Commission to assure the American people that they're 
being treated fairly at the pump.
    Let's see--Mark Smith.
    Q. Another one?
    The President. Oh, you already asked one?
    Q. Call on my colleagues.
    The President. Did you ask one?
    Q. Yes, sir.
    The President. Oh, you did ask one. [Laughter]
    Q. It was a memorable question.
    Q. Really a great question. [Laughter]
    Q. Can I follow up on the energy question, Mr. President?
    The President. No, you can't, because I just embarrassed myself by 
calling on Smith twice. [Laughter] That's right; it was that brilliant 
question. How could I forget?
    VandeHei [Jim VandeHei, Washington Post].

Energy/Alternative Fuel Sources

    Q. In talking about gas prices, in 2001, when you did your first 
energy policy and gas prices were about $1.50, a lot of people were 
saying, you know, you have to push CAFE standards higher for the entire 
fleet of vehicles; you have to scrutinize oil companies more closely; 
you have to spend a lot more in alternative fuels than even you were 
proposing. Do you have any regrets now that gas is $3 that you didn't do 
enough in your first term to prevent these prices?
    The President. As you know, in order for there to be a CAFE standard 
increase on cars, it requires congressional action. I think it's a good 
idea to give the President, through the Secretary of Transportation, the 
opportunity to raise CAFE standards, just like I did on light trucks. 
And we're spending--I think it's about $10 billion since I've been 
President on alternative sources of energy, and we're making progress; 
we're close to some significant breakthroughs.
    The point is, is that it's very important for us to diversify away 
from oil. You might remember when I first came in--I think the price of 
oil was like--I know it was below $20, and it's all of a sudden--now 
that the price of oil is up, alternatives become much more economically 
viable, and therefore, I think the American people are going to see a 
lot of technological development happen quickly, which will enable 
people to have different options and different choices.
    The hybrid vehicle has just hit the road recently, as you know. 
There's a big demand for hybrids. I think it makes sense to have tax 
credits to encourage people to buy hybrids. Increase in demand will 
cause producers to produce more. And as you know, that there's 
limitations on the number of--the amount of tax credit issued per 
manufacturer. I think we ought to just make sure the tax credit is 
applied to all people purchasing hybrid vehicles.
    Herman [Ken Herman, Austin American-Statesman].

Dubai Holding LLC

    Q. Thank you, sir.
    The President. Yes. Glad to work you into a national press 
conference for the first time in a long time.
    Q. Proud to be here, sir. Are there inherent and unavoidable risks 
in allowing the sale of a defense firm to interests owned by Dubai?
    The President. That question has been looked at very carefully, has 
been analyzed by a CFIUS committee. I signed off on it this morning 
because I'm convinced, at the recommendation of the CFIUS committee,

[[Page 816]]

as well as our military, that it's a sale that should go through.
    April [April Ryan, American Urban Radio Networks].

Elections in New Orleans, LA

    Q. Mr. President, some have questioned your efforts in having every 
vote count in this Nation, especially after the April 22d New Orleans 
elections. Now with that, what are you looking to do with the three 
sections of the Voting Rights Act that are set to expire in 2007? How 
are you planning to enhance those sections, because we understand that 
you want to study it prior to any passing of a bill by the Senate.
    The President. I think I'm on record, as a matter of fact I'm pretty 
clearly on record, particularly at the Rosa Parks--signing of the Rosa 
Parks bill, that I'm for the extension of the Voting Rights Act, right?
    Q. Yes, yes you are on record. But there is word that you want to 
enhance it, or people within your administration want to look at it to 
tweak it.
    The President. I wanted to make sure the Voting Rights Act is strong 
and capable. I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about. But my 
statement is my statement: The Voting Rights Act ought to be extended. 
The Voting Rights Act is a very important part of the civil rights 
legislation. Everybody ought to be encouraged to vote. Voting is a 
valuable part of democracy, and we want people voting.
    Q. Do you think it was valuable in April--for the April 22d 
elections in New Orleans?
    The President. I'm not going to second-guess the Federal judge. I 
was just down there yesterday; I didn't hear much complaining about it, 
though, when I was there. And, obviously, it's a more difficult election 
with people scattered around, but the State worked very hard to 
encourage people to vote. And I was with Mayor Nagin and Governor 
Blanco, and the subject, frankly, didn't come up. That's not to say it's 
not on their minds. It's on Mayor Nagin's mind because he wants to win; 
he wants people voting.
    But the State bent over backwards to encourage people to participate 
in the mayoral election, and it looked like the process, given the 
circumstances the city had been under, pretty smooth process, which is 
not necessarily a given.
    Yes, sir.

Emergency Management/Gulf Coast Recovery

    Q. Mr. President, yesterday Senators Lieberman and Collins said they 
want to see FEMA abolished. I'd like you to comment on that. But also, 
with hurricane season only a month away, can you assure the American 
people that your Government has learned the lessons of Katrina?
    The President. Thanks for the question. That was obviously on 
people's minds when I went down to New Orleans and Mississippi. The 
lessons of Katrina are very important. We've learned a lot here at the 
Federal level: One, there needs to be better coordination between local 
and State governments; secondly, that there needs to be a communications 
package that will be available to help deal with the situation that 
happened last time, which was total destruction of communications 
capabilities; third, that there needs to make sure that there is a law 
enforcement alternative in case there's a local--a breakdown of local 
law enforcement; fourthly, there needs to be a prepositioning of assets 
so that if a major storm were to come, we'd be able to move equipment in 
faster.
    But most important, there needs to be a coordination and an 
understanding of the evacuation and relief plans. And I talked to the 
Mayor and both Governors that I met with yesterday about our seriousness 
in working with them to make sure that the plans are as effective as 
possible.
    The communications, obviously, this time around are a lot better 
than last time around. And so the lessons are being learned. And my 
attitude toward the recommendations by Fran Townsend, who is a part of 
my administration, or the Congress is, we ought to take them all 
seriously. The objective is to respond to these natural disasters as 
well as we possibly can.
    The other issue down there for New Orleans, of course, are the 
levees. And we've got money in the sup to make sure that these levees 
are pre-Katrina or better prior to June 1st. I think we'll achieve that 
objective. Additional money will be spent so that the levees

[[Page 817]]

are improved significantly by September of '07. The levees are 
important--the rebuilding of the levees, or improving of the levees are 
very important to assure the people of New Orleans that if there is a 
storm, they're built to pre-Katrina levels, as least in the initial 
stage. But also, it's important to convince people that it's okay to 
risk capital in New Orleans.
    The amazing thing in the area down there--I don't know if you all 
went with me--but it was--there's this totally different attitude from 
when we were there before, early on, obviously, after the storm. People 
are coming back. Sales taxes along the gulf coast of Mississippi are 
higher today than they were a year ago this date. And that's positive.
    But look, there's still a lot of work to be done, a lot of 
reconstruction. The CDBG money--and it's very important for the Congress 
to pass the CDBG money I requested so that the housing issue can get--
people can get back to rebuilding their homes. And Mississippi, the CDBG 
money will be coming out pretty quick; New Orleans, they've still got a 
little work. The Governor has proposed a plan that will be in front of 
the legislature, I think, this weekend. It's a very important step to 
getting this process moving.
    And so, got a lot of work to do. But, yes, we're much more ready 
this time than last time. And we're taking very seriously the lessons 
learned from Katrina.
    Q. Abolish FEMA?
    The President. I've looked at all suggestions, but my attitude is, 
let's make it work. We're about 6 weeks away from--we're getting pretty 
close.
    Who are you again? [Laughter]
    Q. I got a few more, if you like.
    The President. You've had a big day. [Laughter]
    Q. That's three. That's three.
    The President. Butting in once, called on unnecessarily once.
    Cooper [Christopher Cooper, Wall Street Journal].

Emergency Response Preparation

    Q. Yes, sir, regarding FEMA, do you think that they're prepared for 
the season? And is there any way to measure that at this point?
    The President. I think preparation is--Chris, preparation is 
preparation at all levels of government. Most Governors will tell you 
that the main responsibility for disaster relief is at the State level. 
And the job of the Federal Government is to step in and help. And so 
Chertoff has been down there. Secretary Chertoff has been down there 
working with these local governments to review their plans and to 
analyze where the Federal Government can help if there's any breakdown 
whatsoever.
    One of the key issues, of course, again, in New Orleans, is 
transportation. We remember those pictures of those buses--people 
looking to get out, and yet there were these buses in flooded areas. And 
so one of the areas where Homeland Security Department, working with the 
State and local governments, is to make sure there's a transportation 
plan that will work.
    It's going to be interesting--let's pray--first of all, pray there's 
no hurricanes. That would be, like, step one. Step two, if one is 
coming, I suspect people are going to take hurricane warnings very 
seriously and that evacuation orders will be heeded very seriously. And 
so it's going to be a--and therefore, there's a need to make sure that 
the forecasting is accurate--and this is pretty much the way it is these 
days, been very accurate forecasting--and that the response by all of us 
is in a timely fashion to give people time to prepare.
    But now is the time to put these plans in place, and we're doing it. 
And I feel pretty good about the coordination and the sessions that have 
been taking place down there. And as I understand, Secretary Chertoff 
will be going back down there again.
    And, by the way, the plans are not just for New Orleans and 
Mississippi; they're for Alabama and Florida and Texas as well. In other 
words, it's for Hurricane Alley.
    Yes. Dallas Morning News man [G. Robert Hillman, Dallas Morning 
News].

Immigration Reform

    Q. Yes, Mr. President, on Monday, several million illegal 
immigrants, worried about some forms of immigration legislation in the 
Congress, are going to walk off the job and keep their kids home from 
schools. What is

[[Page 818]]

your view of this call for a national boycott on Monday?
    The President. I'm not a supporter of boycotts; I am a supporter of 
comprehensive immigration. I understand how difficult this issue is for 
some people here in Washington and around the country, but there is--my 
judgment, that enforcing our border requires a--and by the way, I think 
most Americans agree that we've got to enforce our border. I don't think 
there's any question about that----
    Q. Do you think----
    The President. Let me finish, please, Bob, thank you--that there 
needs to be interior enforcement as well. But I recognize it's hard to 
enforce the border and have interior enforcement if there is a smuggling 
network that's bringing people across and there's a forgery network 
that's providing people false documents. And therefore, I believe a 
temporary-worker program will make it easier to enforce the border, as 
well as have interior enforcement.
    And if somebody is coming across to do a job on a temporary basis, 
they don't need to sneak across. They don't need a coyote to stuff them 
in the back of an 18-wheeler. They don't need to walk across the desert 
and risk their lives. And so a rational way to make sure our border is 
enforced is to have a temporary-worker program. And that's what I 
support.
    I think it's very important for people, when they do express 
themselves, they continue to do so in a peaceful way, in a respectful 
way--respectful of the--how highly charged this debate can become. One 
of the things that's very important is, when we debate this issue that 
we not lose our national soul. One of the great things about America is 
that we've been able to take people from all walks of life bound as one 
nation under God. And that's the challenge ahead of us.
    And I look forward to working with members of both political parties 
to get a bill out of the United States Senate and into conference, which 
would then mean we have a chance to get a comprehensive bill to my desk. 
And I want a comprehensive bill, one that enforces the border, one that 
makes sure that we've got interior enforcement procedures in place that 
actually work, one that provides a temporary-worker process for people, 
one that does not provide automatic citizenship--I don't think anybody 
really wants there to be automatic amnesty for people--one that allows 
somebody here to be able to get in--if they want to be a citizen, to be 
able to get in line, but not the front of the line but the back of the 
line.
    And that's what I'm for, a comprehensive plan. I think we can get 
one done if people would set aside politics and focus on what's best for 
the United States of America.
    Thank you for your time. I've enjoyed this. I will see you all 
tomorrow night, I guess. Looking forward to it. I hope you are as well.

Note: The President spoke at 11:47 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Edward P. Lazear, Chairman, 
Council of Economic Advisers; former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell; 
former Senator John C. ``Jack'' Danforth of Missouri; Chancellor Angela 
Merkel of Germany; President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran; Mayor C. Ray 
Nagin of New Orleans, LA; Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Louisiana; 
and Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi.