Aug. 29 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2001

Remarks at the American Legion Convention in San Antonio, Texas August 29, 2001

Thank you all very much for that warm The American Legion was chartered in welcome. It’s my honor to welcome you the years after World War I, just about to my home State. We need the rain, so the time that Dwight Eisenhower was a I appreciate you bringing it from all around junior officer, living right here in San Anto- the country. I want you to know, you’re nio, Texas, at Fort Sam. You’ve seen wars in a military town. The people of this city and their aftermath. You’ve received mil- are always proud to honor those who serve lions into your ranks. You’ve seen our cul- and those who wear the uniform today. ture change for better and sometimes for Mr. Mayor, thank you for your hospi- worse. And yet, from that founding day in tality. I know on behalf of all the folks 1919 to this very day, the American Legion who have come to this convention, they has never compromised its principles. As thank you and your able staff, the good General Douglas MacArthur said at your folks of San Antonio, for being such great 1951 convention, ‘‘The American Legion hosts to this wonderful convention. has been invincibly faithful to God and to It’s an honor for San Antonio to host country.’’ you. And it’s a high honor for me to stand Those of us honored to serve in high before my fellow Legionnaires as the Com- office have commitments of our own to mander in Chief of the United States Mili- our Nation’s veterans. I made my own com- tary. And it was a higher honor to escort mitments last year, when we met in Mil- to this podium the Legion Auxiliary’s waukee, Wisconsin. Those commitments Woman of the Year. You couldn’t have are now becoming policies. And the needs made a finer choice. of our veterans are once again priorities I want to thank Ray Smith, the national of our Government. commander, for giving me a chance to If you’ve worn the uniform, you know come. And I want to thank him for his just how efficiently Government can some- service. I want to thank Kristine West for times work. When Government needed her service, as well. I want to thank Bob your services, it moved pretty fast. There Spanogle, the national adjutant. I want to weren’t many delays, and that’s exactly how thank the man who runs your Washington, Government ought to operate in repaying DC, office, John Sommer, for working so you for your service, in giving you the ben- closely with my administration. I want to efits you earned. welcome members of my Cabinet who are Some of you are among the thousands here, Tony Principi, Elaine Chao. And I of veterans whose claims have been delayed understand that Henry Bonilla, the Con- or, sadly enough, lost in the bureaucracy. gressman from this area, is here, and I At my direction, the Department of Vet- want to say hello to Henry and his wife, erans Affairs has begun to change the way Deborah. it does business. And I put a good man And finally, I want to introduce you all, in charge, my friend and your friend, Tony if you haven’t met him yet, to a fine man Principi. Tony is conducting a top-to-bot- who’s making a great Governor for Texas, tom review of the VA claims processing. my friend, the 47th Governor of the State Reform has begun, and we’re starting of Texas, Rick Perry. Rick, you need to where the need is greatest. At present, know, we’ve just come in from Crawford, there are more than 600,000 pending appli- Texas, and a lot of folks down there can’t cations. A full 53,000 of them have been wait to vote for you. pending for more than a year. And many

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were filed by veterans over the age of 70. never had a finer Vice President than Dick Think about that: Here are thousands of Cheney. Well, maybe it’s a tie. men who served their country in Korea and Last week in Crawford, I had the honor World War II, or both. The last thing they of selecting a new Chairman for the Joint need to hear from any Federal office are Chiefs of Staff to replace a good and hon- more routine excuses. That’s wrong, and orable man who served our Nation well, this administration is going to get it right. and that’s General Hugh Shelton. I picked Under Secretary Principi, these claims are a native of Kansas City, Missouri, Air Force being given the highest priority. They will General Richard Myers, and as Vice Chair- be brought to a fair resolution without ex- man, I picked the first marine ever, Pete cuses and without delay. Pace. I have assured both men and every I’ve also set the goal of improving co- man and woman serving today that the operation between the VA and the Pen- services will receive the support and means tagon in providing care to those who they need to operate. served. By Executive order, I have created I recently signed a bill allocating over a task force to recommend major reforms $2 billion in supplemental appropriations in the delivery of health care to veterans for military pay, benefits, and health care. and military retirees. In order to boost the morale of our mili- Two distinguished Americans will lead tary, it starts with taking care of our people. the task force, Dr. Gail Wilensky, one of But there’s more. This budget I sub- the Nation’s leading authorities on health mitted to Congress makes national defense policy, and former Congressman Gerry Sol- a priority. I’ve asked Congress to provide omon, a long-time veterans advocate who the largest increase in military spending served our Nation as a marine in the Ko- since Ronald Reagan was the President and rean conflict. I’m pleased to announce that Commander in Chief of the United States. Bob Spanogle of the American Legion has And to meet any dangers, our administra- agreed and will serve on this task force tion will begin building the military of the to represent the American Legion. future. We must and we will make major My administration is also serious about investments in research and development. implementing the Veteran’s Millennium And we are committed to defending Amer- Health Care Act, to ensure high-quality ica and our allies against ballistic missile care. In my first budget, I asked Congress attacks, against weapons of mass destruction for an additional $1 billion for veteran ben- held by rogue leaders in rogue nations that efits and services. And Secretary Principi hate America, hate our values, and hate recently announced 6 new centers for Par- what we stand for. kinson’s disease research and care and 41 We have a clear eye on foreign policy. new outpatient clinics in 28 States, all the We recognize it’s a dangerous world. I better to serve our Nation’s veterans. know this Nation still has enemies, and we In the budget I submitted, veterans are cannot expect them to be idle. And that’s a priority. My budgets will also discharge why security is my first responsibility. And in full the most basic responsibility for the I will not permit any course that leaves President, to provide for the security of America undefended. the United States. In that responsibility, a In all of these efforts, I hope to have President needs capable partners, and I the support of the good people in this have chosen well. I receive outstanding pol- room. The American Legion is one of the icy advice from Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Sec- most respected institutions in our Nation retary of State Colin Powell. I’m so pleased and one of the most familiar. After all, on that Don Rumsfeld is back for a second the main streets all across America, the Le- tour at the Pentagon. And the Nation has gion hall itself is a center of civic life, a

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place where speeches, sometimes too come them with open arms and not dis- long—[laughter]—are heard; it’s where the criminate faith-based programs in America. Scout troops meet; it’s where special events Oh, there’s a lot we’ve got to get done are celebrated. this fall, and I’m looking forward to getting I recently had the honor of welcoming back to work. In the coming weeks, Con- the leaders of tomorrow, those of Boys and gress will be going to what they call a con- Girls Nation, to the White House. And I ference committee on a Patients’ Bill of applaud you for your efforts at promoting Rights. I support a good bill that’s already character in our young. And I also can’t passed the House, one that serves patients thank you enough for promoting baseball first and doctors but one that will not en- as the American pastime. courage frivolous or junk lawsuits that could With nearly 15,000 posts and close to conceivably throw people off their health 3 million members, the Legion helps make care insurance. I’m hopeful they’ll move America better every single day. You’re rec- quickly and get a good bill on my desk. ognized not merely as an organization of On Medicare, I’ve laid out commonsense interests but, as importantly, an organiza- principles for strengthening the program, tion of values. You represent an ethic of including overdue—long-overdue coverage service. When you teach the values of for prescription drugs in Medicare. honor and patriotism and personal responsi- As parents, grandparents, concerned citi- bility, you teach by example. And when you zens, all of you are concerned about the speak of the American flag and the legal quality of our public schools, and I appre- protection it deserves, you speak with au- ciate your involvement. We want the best thority. And you are right. for our children, and no question it begins You may have heard recently, this past with making sure every child is educated month I’ve been outside of Washington. I and making sure our public schools not set up a Western White House right up only teach how to read and write and add the road in Crawford, Texas. But I’ve been and subtract but teach our children the val- spending a lot of time traveling the heart- ues that have been sustained over a long land of America. And I’ll do more traveling period of time, the values necessary to be- this fall, speaking about my agenda and the come good citizens. values behind it. There’s a bill that passed the House; I plan to speak about the values of serv- there’s a bill that passed the Senate. When ice and good citizenship that sustains our they get back, I hope they don’t play poli- country. That’s where the greatness of tics with the education bill. They need to America shines through, not in the halls get it to my desk quickly, so I can sign of Government but in the character of our it and reform the public schools all across citizens. America. One of the important goals of my admin- And of course the Members will be com- istration is to invigorate the spirit and in- ing back to consider the pieces of legisla- volvement of our citizens, to make sure no tion as well as to make necessary spending one is left out of the great American decisions. So far this year, the signs have Dream. I’ve created an Office of Faith- been pretty good about how they’re going Based and Community Initiatives in the to spend your money. We got a bipartisan White House. And I’m asking Congress to budget passed. That’s an important guide- join me in my efforts. It’s time to bring line as how best to spend taxpayers’ money. new support and new resources to institu- In record time, as well, Congress passed, tions that help people in need. When peo- I signed, and the mailman is now delivering ple of faith provide social services and the the largest tax cut in a generation. Our love that is needed, Government must wel- economy began slowing down last year, and

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that’s bad news. And I’m deeply worried with the things that matter most to the about the working families all across the future and security of our country. This country. According to today’s GDP figures, time, and from this time forward, let us the recovery is very slow in coming. But put education and national defense at the with the tax reduction already in place, first of the line, not at the last. Americans will have more of their own I return to Washington tomorrow, ready money to spend, to save and invest, the to make my case and ready to work with very things that make our economy grow. folks on both sides of the aisle. Dick Che- Tax relief is exactly the right time—thing, ney and I didn’t seek our offices so we the right prescription at the right time for could just settle in and mark time. We the American economy. didn’t come to rubber stamp the status quo. Now, there are some who are second- We came to challenge old assumptions and guessing tax relief. You hear the voices be- to provide new directions. We came to get ginning to filter out of their home States. something done for the country and to I presume those who now oppose tax relief change the tone in our national discourse. are for raising your taxes. That would tie I’m proud of the progress we have been an anchor on our economy, and I can as- making, yet there’s a lot to do. And I real- sure you I won’t allow it. ize the American people are counting on In the next few weeks, Congress will face us. You have given me a perfect sendoff. some critical choices and some old tempta- I leave honored by your support and grate- tions. I’m asking them to let go of some ful for your service to our great land. of the old ways of doing business in Wash- Thank you all very much. May God bless. ington, DC. Most of you have been around long enough to know how the process works. Often the important things are put NOTE: The President spoke at 10:26 a.m. at off to the last, and in the meantime, lots the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. of new spending gets thrown in. Near the In his remarks, he referred to Mayor Edward end of the process, suddenly we hear that D. Garza of San Antonio; First Lady Laura Congress is about to go over the budget, Bush, 2001 recipient of the American Legion so the items that have been saved for last Auxiliary’s Woman of the Year Award; Ray are the ones most likely to get cut. G. Smith, national commander, Bob And guess which—guess what usually has Spanogle, national adjutant, and John F. been saved for the last? The defense bill, Sommer, executive director, Washington of- leaving our national security at the mercy fice, the American Legion; Kristine West, na- of budget games and last-minute cuts. This tional president, the American Legion Auxil- year, we might even see our administra- iary; and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. He also tion’s two highest priorities, education and referred to Public Law No. 106–117, the Vet- national defense, being played off against erans Millennium Health Care and Benefits each other. Act. The Executive order of May 28 on the That’s the old way of doing business, and President’s Task Force To Improve Health it’s time to stop it. We may have different Care Delivery for Our Nation’s Veterans was agendas in Washington, but we all have published in the Federal Register at 66 FR the same basic obligations. We must start 29447.

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