[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 50 (Monday, December 17, 2007)]
[Pages 1586-1588]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Cabinet Meeting and an Exchange With Reporters

December 14, 2007

    The President. Good morning. I just finished meeting with members of 
my Cabinet. I am proud of this team. I appreciate their service to the 
country. We discussed the priorities that we're working on to meet the 
needs of the American people. We're talking about the business that 
remains on Capitol Hill.

[[Page 1587]]

    I want to thank the Senate and congratulate the Senate for passing a 
good energy bill, and now the House must act. Congress also must move 
quickly to pass legislation to protect middle class families from the 
burden of the Alternative Minimum Tax, without raising taxes. And 
Congress must pass legislation to ensure our intelligence professionals 
can continue to effectively monitor terrorist communications.
    And Congress must move forward with spending legislation to fund the 
day-to-day operations of the Federal Government so that the Cabinet 
Departments can provide essential services for the American people.
    Because Congress did not pass any spending bills by the end of the 
fiscal year--with the exception of one--many essential services are now 
being funded under what's called a continuing resolution. This is a bill 
that keeps the Federal Government running on a temporary basis while 
lawmakers work out their differences.
    In recent days, lawmakers have made some important progress in 
working out such differences. I'm pleased to hear that they are close to 
reaching agreement on a budget. There are a lot of details left to be 
worked out, and I hope they will pass a bill that is fiscally 
responsible and does not raise taxes. I also understand that Congress 
may provide a downpayment on the war funding I requested, without 
artificial timetables for withdrawal.
    These are encouraging signs. Unfortunately, Members of Congress have 
not been able to complete their work by today, when the current 
continuing resolution expires. So last night Congress passed another 
continuing resolution that will fund the Government for one more week--
and I just signed the resolution.
    I hope Congress will use the additional time productively. I urge 
them to pass a clean spending package that meets the reasonable spending 
levels I have put forward, without gimmicks, without policy riders that 
could not be enacted in the ordinary legislative process, and with much 
needed funding for our troops in combat.
    It would be disappointing if Members of Congress did not finish 
their work by the holidays. But if they don't, they should not carry the 
unfinished business of 2007 into the new year. Instead, they should pass 
a 1-year continuing resolution that does not include wasteful spending 
or higher taxes. And they must ensure that our troops on the frontlines 
have the funds and resources they need to prevail.
    I'll take a couple of questions. Deb [Deb Riechmann, Associated 
Press].

Major League Baseball

    Q. Mr. President, on the Mitchell report, sir, do you think that the 
baseball players actually mentioned in the report should be punished?
    The President. A couple of reactions to the Mitchell report--as you 
know, I'm a baseball fan. I love the sport; I love the game. Like many 
fans, I've been troubled by the steroid allegations. I think it's best 
that all of us not jump to any conclusions on individual player's name, 
but we can jump to this conclusion: that steroids have sullied the game, 
and players and the owners must take the Mitchell report seriously. I'm 
confident they will.
    And my hope is that this report is a part of putting the steroid era 
of baseball behind us. You know, I--in the State of the Union a couple 
of years ago, I addressed the issue of steroids, and the reason I did so 
is because I understand the impact that professional athletes can have 
on our Nation's youth. And I just urge our--those in the public 
spotlight, particularly athletes, to understand that when they violate 
their bodies, they're sending a terrible signal to America's young.
    Toby [Tabassum Zakaria, Reuters].

North Korea

    Q. Mr. President, what was Kim Jong Il's message to you in response 
to your letter to him? And what was--what is your response to him?
    The President. Well, first, I'm--you know, I got his attention with 
a letter, and he can get my attention by fully disclosing his programs, 
including any plutonium he may have processed and converted--that--into 
whatever he's used it for. We just need to know.
    As well, he can get our attention by fully disclosing his 
proliferation activities. We have

[[Page 1588]]

laid out a way forward. And I say ``we''--there's four other countries 
that have joined us; we've got what's called the six-party talks. And 
the five of us agree that there's a way forward for the--Kim Jong Il, 
and an important step is a full declaration of programs, materials that 
may have been developed to create weapons, as well as the proliferation 
activities of the regime.
    Thank you very much.
    Q. Oh, don't stop now.
    The President. I had a--well, I've got freezing Cabinet members out 
here. [Laughter] They're whispering; you can't hear their whispers. 
[Laughter] I can just feel their vibe saying, ``I'm envious. They're all 
wearing these expensive coats, and here we are.'' [Laughter]
    I hope you enjoyed the holiday bash as much as I did. I noticed some 
of the silverware is missing. [Laughter] We'll be taking a full 
inventory. [Laughter] Happy holidays.

Note: The President spoke at 10:32 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Chairman Kim Jong Il of North 
Korea. He also referred to H.J. Res. 69, which was assigned Public Law 
No. 110-137. A reporter referred to former Senator George J. Mitchell, 
author of a report to the commissioner of baseball on the use of illegal 
performance-enhancing substances in Major League Baseball.