Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Aug. 29

Connie, thank you for coming—appreciate can help set the true face of compassion you being here. for this great Nation. The reason I appreciate so very much It is my honor to come to this wonderful Connie coming is, I want all of us, older school. I wish you all the best. May God and younger alike, to realize one person bless you all, and may God bless America. can make a difference. And I hope you do. I hope the youngsters here aim high and shoot high. I hope you set high stand- NOTE: The President spoke at 2:55 p.m. in ards for yourself and work hard. I hope the school’s auditorium. In his remarks, he you make the right choices in life. But I referred to Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. also hope you understand that here in The Office of the Press Secretary also re- America, helping somebody in need doesn’t leased a Spanish language transcript of these take all that much, but by doing so, you remarks.

Remarks at a Dinner for Senator Tim Hutchinson in Little Rock August 29, 2002

The President. Well, thank you all. Thank The President. Yes; I know you are. you all very much. I appreciate your warm [Laughter] You drew the short straw. welcome. Thank you. Thank you all. Well, [Laughter] She’s doing great. I’m really thank you very much for coming out to- proud of Laura. She’s down in Crawford. night. I’m proud to come back to Arkansas. It’s where I’m heading after tonight, for I’m surprised you let a Texan come here a couple more days. She—you know, when this many times. [Laughter] I came here I married her, she was a public school li- today to talk about educational excellence. brarian. She didn’t care for politics and I went to Parkview Magnet School to talk didn’t particularly like politicians. [Laugh- about setting high standards and making ter] Now she’s stuck with one. And she’s sure no child gets left behind. And tonight doing a fabulous job as First Lady. I’m here to urge the good people of this I want to thank John Boozman, who’s State to send Tim Hutchinson back to the a Member of the United States Congress, United States Senate. for being with us today. John, thank you He’s a hard worker. He cares deeply for coming down for the fundraiser. I had about the people of Arkansas. He’s doing the honor of being with your Governor ear- a fine job as the United States Senator. lier today. He’s off working. You need to I’m proud to call him friend. I appreciate send Mike Huckabee back to the Gov- his advice, and I appreciate you all working ernor’s office here in Arkansas. He’s a fine hard to send him back up to Washington, fellow. And so is your Lieutenant Governor, DC. who is with us tonight, Win Rockefeller. I’m so grateful that Randi Hutchinson, Thanks for coming. his wife, is campaigning with him and I want to thank members—two guys who standing by his side during this campaign are running for the United States Congress. for reelection. I appreciate meeting Randi. Former Member Jay Dickey is with us And it’s an honor to have you here, Randi. today. Jay, thank you very much. And the Thank you. And speaking about wives, I’m man they call ‘‘TR,’’ Tommy Robinson, is sorry mine is not here. with us as well. I appreciate my family Audience members. Me, too. friend John Paul Hammerschmidt for being

1509

e Aug 04 2004 12:48 Mar 15, 2005 Jkt 193761 PO 00000 Frm 00357 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193761.008 193761 Aug. 29 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002

here tonight and for being the national they can read and write and add and sub- committeeman from the State of Arkansas. tract. If you believe every child can learn, Thank you, John Paul. I want to thank your then you want to know. chairman, Marty Ryall, for his leadership And you see, when you find out children here in the State of Arkansas. aren’t learning, it gives you the tools nec- And I appreciate all the grassroots activ- essary to do something about it. If you be- ists who are here. I appreciate you for what lieve every child can learn, they ought to you have done and what you’re going to show us whether or not every child is learn- do. See, over the next couple of months, ing. And if they’re not, we need to correct you need to go to your coffee shops and problems early, before it’s too late. You see, your churches and your synagogues and there are no second-class children in the your community centers and turn out the State of Arkansas, and no child should be vote. You need to tell the people, when left behind. you find a good one like Tim Hutchinson, I appreciate Tim’s stand on education ‘‘We need to send him back to office.’’ policy, and I appreciate his stand on tax And there are some good reasons why, policy. When I took office, I knew things starting with the fact that he has a good were kind of slow, but I didn’t realize that vision for education. We passed a good we were in the beginning of a recession. piece of legislation out of Washington for The first three quarters of my Presidency education. It’s one that Tim had a lot to were negative growth; that means recession. do with. He worked hard on that legisla- Thankfully, people like Tim Hutchinson tion. And let me describe the principles supported my call for tax relief. See, we and why it’s so important to have this type read from the same textbook. It’s a little of person in Washington. It first starts— different from some of the other ones in the bill says, and he and I both believe, Washington. It says, if you let a person that every child can learn. That sounds sim- keep their own money, they will demand ple, but too often in our society, we’ve low- a good or a service if they have more ered the standards. We don’t believe every money. And when they demand a good or child can learn. Therefore, we have low a service, somebody is likely to produce standards. It’s what I call the soft bigotry the good or a service. And when somebody of low expectations. If you lower the bar, produces the good and service, somebody you’re going to get lousy results. So this is more likely to find jobs in the midst bill believes that if you set high standards of a recession. It is important to let the and believe every child can learn, you start people have their own money. with the right frame of mind. Tim was the original author of the $500- Secondly, it says, we trust the people of per-child tax credit in the House. And he Arkansas, the people of this good State, supported the doubling of that tax credit the people of Little Rock and Jonesboro in the new tax relief plan. Not only does and all the cities, to chart the path for the tax relief plan lower all rates, which, excellence for every child in their commu- by the way, stimulates small-business nity. We believe in local control of schools. growth—see, most of the new jobs in Ar- And finally, at the core of the bill is kansas and around the country are created this principle: It says, we want to know by small businesses. Seventy percent of new whether or not our children are learning. jobs in America are created by the entre- You see, if you believe every child can preneurs who start their own business. Yet learn, the next question is, are they? And most of those small businesses are sole pro- the only way to know is to measure, is prietors or limited partnerships, which to hold people to account, is to let the means they pay taxes at the individual rate. children take a test to see whether or not When you lower the individual rates, you

1510

2004 12:48 Mar 15, 2005 Jkt 193761 PO 00000 Frm 00358 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193761.008 193761 Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Aug. 29

stimulate the growth of our economy by around the world asking for food. We’ve stimulating the entrepreneurial spirit in got a great farm economy, and the farm America. bill we passed recognizes that. And Tim This tax relief plan did more than that. was one of the leaders that helped get that It mitigated the ill effects of a marriage farm bill out of the Senate and to my desk. penalty. The Tax Code ought to promote I was proud to sign the farm bill. It was family, not discourage family. And finally, good for Arkansas farmers. the tax relief plan put the death tax on And finally, I appreciate his leadership its way to extinction. I know there’s a lot on sending a clear message to people who of farmers and ranchers in this State and have got positions of responsibility in Amer- some in this audience. The death tax is ica. Our economy was hurt by a recession, bad for our ranching families. It’s bad for and then it got shocked by the attacks of our farming families, and it’s bad for the September the 11th. And then, of course, entrepreneurial families of Arkansas. we found out that bubbling up through the And Tim was right by my side on this years was this business about people trying tax relief plan. But what’s interesting—not to cook the books, some of our corporate interesting, kind of a quirk in the law, is leaders deciding that the best way to get that all this, all the tax relief that we passed ahead was not to tell the truth, was not goes away after 10 years from the sign of to uphold their responsibilities to employee passage—from the time of passage. That’s and shareholder alike. the quirk in the Senate rules. It’s hard to I signed the most comprehensive cor- explain, I understand. You ought to try that in the Crawford coffee shop. [Laughter] On porate reform legislation since Franklin the one hand, we giveth; on the other hand, Roosevelt was the President. And Tim we taketh away. For the sake of planning, Hutchinson was a strong supporter. It says for the sake of economic vitality, for the this: If we catch you cheating, if you’re sake of job growth, you need to have a not a responsible citizen, if you think you United States Senator who will join me in can cook the books, you’re wrong. We’re making this tax relief permanent. going to find you, and we’ll prosecute you, I appreciate Tim’s concern about health and no more easy money, just hard time. care, health care not just for Republicans Finally, I support—I appreciate Tim’s but health care for everybody who lives support on our war against terror and our in Arkansas. He’s on the leading edge of need to protect the homeland. My most those in the Senate who want to bring a important job is to protect the homeland, reasonable reform to Medicare. See, Medi- is to protect innocent people. After Sep- care is an incredibly important program, tember the 11th, the stakes obviously but medicine has changed, and the pro- changed. The enemy brought war to us, gram hasn’t. Medicine has changed, and yet and they’re still out there. They just are. the bureaucracy still strangles the capacity By the way, they’re nothing but a bunch for our seniors to get the care they need. of coldblooded killers. They hate us be- We need to reform Medicare and make cause we love freedom. They can’t stand sure our seniors have got prescription the thought of a society which values free drugs. speech, which says you can worship the I appreciate Tim’s support for the farm Almighty any way you see fit. They hate bill. See, he and I understand that good the idea of people being able to come to economic policy at home means that you’ve our country and succeed. The more we love got to have a strong agricultural sector. It’s freedom, the more they hate us. But you a luxury for this President to be able to know what, we’re never going to stop loving say we feed ourselves. Imagine if we were freedom. This great country loves freedom

1511

e Aug 04 2004 12:48 Mar 15, 2005 Jkt 193761 PO 00000 Frm 00359 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193761.008 193761 Aug. 29 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002

and will do anything it takes to protect what it takes to move people in the right that freedom. place. The Senate, unfortunately, doesn’t You need to know there’s a lot of good see it that way. Fortunately, Senator Hutch- folks working a lot of hours to protect you. inson does. But see, there are some Sen- Anytime we get a hint or any piece of ators out there who would rather listen to evidence that somebody might be plotting special interests in Washington, DC, than against America, we’re moving—we’re mov- listen to the voice of the people. There ing. There’s a lot of good folks who are are Senators who would rather give us a gathering intelligence and now sharing it rule book this thick about how we have like it’s never been shared before. Obvi- to behave and what we must do to protect ously, everything we hear we take seriously, the homeland, than to trust any administra- and we’re trying to do everything we can tion for protecting America. I refuse to ac- to disrupt and deny. cept a bill which ties my hands or the In order to make sure that I can look hands of future Presidents. you in the eye and say, ‘‘We’re doing every- And I want to appreciate Senator thing to secure the homeland,’’ I have Hutchinson’s understanding of that. And asked the Congress to join me in setting I’m proud to call him supporter on helping up a Department of Homeland Security. craft a Homeland Security Department I did so because in order to change a cul- which will stand the test of time and will ture and in order to set homeland security do the job on behalf of the American peo- as a number one priority, I felt like we ple. But the best way to protect the home- needed to gather up agencies involved with land, the surest way to secure our freedom, the homeland security and put them under the best way to leave a peaceful legacy one umbrella organization. You see, there’s for our children is to hunt the killers down, over 100 of them, scattered all over Wash- one person at a time, and bring them to ington, which means it’s kind of hard to justice. And that’s what the United States set a tone and a culture. It’s hard to set of America is going to do. a priority. And it’s going to take a while. It’s a And so I asked Congress, I said, ‘‘Let’s different kind of war. People during World get together and come up with an Amer- War II were used to measuring progress ican idea’’—it’s not a Republican idea; it’s based upon infantries marching across the not a Democrat; it’s an American idea— plain or squadrons of aircraft flying here ‘‘to do everything we can to give us the or ships sailing across the sea, getting this tools’’—not only me, but future Presi- island or that island. That’s how they used dents—‘‘the tools necessary to guard our to judge progress. This is a different type homeland.’’ And I’ll give you an example. of war, but it’s war. And the stakes are We need to know who’s coming in Amer- just as high. ica, what they’re bringing into America, and See, this is the kind of war where you if they’re leaving when they say they’re have their commanders hide in caves. They going to leave America. And yet, on our find the deepest and darkest cave they can, borders, we’ve got your Customs and INS and then they send their soldiers, their and Border Patrol, three different agencies, youngsters, to their suicidal death. That’s three different cultures, three different uni- who we’re fighting. See, these people have forms. I need the capacity to be able to no regard for human life. Innocence move people to the right place at the right doesn’t matter to them. They’ve hijacked time to protect the homeland. a great religion in order to provide cover The House of Representatives got the for their hatred. But there’s no cave deep message. They provided flexibility so that enough for America, as far as I’m con- this President and future Presidents can do cerned.

1512

2004 12:48 Mar 15, 2005 Jkt 193761 PO 00000 Frm 00360 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193761.008 193761 Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Aug. 29

See, we’ve got a fantastic coalition of na- need to tell your kids this about America: tions which understand what’s at stake, and One, we do what we say; and two, when we’ve got the finest United States—we’ve we went into that country, we went in as got the finest military in the world. Our liberators, not as conquerors. We freed soldiers are performing brilliantly under people from the clutches of one of the tough, tough conditions. And that’s why— most barbaric regimes in the history of the fact that they’re in the field is why mankind. Young girls, many young girls, go I submitted the largest increase in defense to school for the first time in their lives, spending since Ronald Reagan was the thanks to the United States of America and President. I did so for two reasons: One, our allies and friends. anytime our soldiers are in harm’s way, And we’re not leaving. We’re not leaving they deserve the best pay, the best training, for two reasons: One, there’s still Al Qaida, and the best possible equipment. We owe and we’re after them. Slowly but surely, that to them, and we owe it to their loved we’re getting them. And secondly, we want ones. And for those of you who have got democracy to flourish in Afghanistan. We a relative in the military, I want to tell believe in the values here at home—ought you how proud that their Commander in to be applied elsewhere, not American val- Chief is. I’m really proud. They’re fine, fine ues but God-given values that each life people who are sacrificing on behalf of our matters, that every voice ought to be heard. Nation. We’re getting them on the run, getting And the second reason I submitted this them moving around, and then making sure request, as big as it is, is I wanted to send that we deny sanctuary to these killers. The a message to our friends and foes alike other day—a while ago, you may remember that we’re in this deal for the long haul. the Philippines. They asked for our help. They understand this war isn’t going to end I said loud and clear to them, ‘‘If you want tomorrow, that when it comes to our free- help, we’ll provide you help. If you can’t dom, it doesn’t matter how long it takes. do it yourself, give us a call.’’ And the Phil- The United States of America will fight ippines, as a result of Gloria Arroyo’s fine terror and fight its sponsors and will uphold leadership—and frankly, some of our train- doctrine. One doctrine says, ‘‘Either you’re ing—put a force together and did in the with us, or you’re with them.’’ And the head of what they call Abu Sayyaf. This other doctrine says, ‘‘If you harbor a ter- is the group of Al Qaida-sponsored terror- rorist, if you feed a terrorist, you’re just ists who kidnaped two Americans as well as guilty as the terrorist who committed as others, and brought people to their the murders on September the 11th.’’ death. They don’t care about life. But we And we’re making progress. Sometimes got the leader; we got the leader because you’ll see the progress on your TVs, and our coalition remains firm. sometimes you won’t. It’s a different kind No, our job is to get them on the run, of war; it’s a hard war to measure. But, deny them sanctuary, and slowly but surely slowly but surely, we’re rounding them up, get them and bring them to justice, which one way or the other. We estimate there’s is exactly what this country is going to do. over a couple of thousand of them who We owe it to our children. We owe it to have now been captured by our friends and our grandchildren to make sure that the ourselves, hauled off, no longer a part of world’s worst leaders do not develop and the army. And another like number just deploy the world’s worst weapons. We owe weren’t as lucky. They met their fate. it to future generations of America to make But we’ve got a lot of work to do; we our stand for freedom. really do. We—our strategy is pretty clear. Oh, I know there’s a lot of speculation First was to rout out the Taliban. And you in the press, and you’ve just got to know

1513

e Aug 04 2004 12:48 Mar 15, 2005 Jkt 193761 PO 00000 Frm 00361 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193761.008 193761 Aug. 29 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002

something about me—I’m a patient man. probably thought that we were so self-ab- And we’ve got a lot of tools at our disposal. sorbed and so materialistic, so selfish in We’ve got a lot of pressures we can bring our ways, that after 9/11 all we might do to bear. We’ve got friends in the world. was file a lawsuit. [Laughter] See, they But for the sake of our children, we’re didn’t understand our country. They didn’t going to deal with the problems now pre- know that, when it comes to something we sented. For the sake of freedom, we will value, we’re plenty tough. Nor did they re- not allow these tyrants to hold the United alize that when they hit us, a new culture States or our friends and allies blackmail would begin to evolve, a culture of serving with weapons of mass destruction. something greater than yourself in life. I appreciate Tim’s understanding, and I The thing I love about our country is appreciate his support on this war against that we’re a compassionate nation. I hope terror. I believe that out of the evil done you understand that in the midst of plenty, to this country is going to come incredible there are pockets of despair in America, good. I believed that shortly after the at- hopelessness and addiction, people won- tacks, and I still believe it. See, I believe dering whether or not the American Dream that the stronger this country is on our is meant for them. And I believe we have quest for freedom and our willingness to a chance now, as we take a step back and battle terror, the more likely it is we’ll look at our inner souls, to help solve those achieve peace. And I don’t mean peace just problems. for Americans; I mean peace around the Government can hand out money; I real- world. ize that. As I like to say, we do a pretty The tougher we are against terror, the good job of it. But what Government can- more willing we are to speak clearly as not do is put a sense of purpose in people’s a nation, the more likely it is we can lives. It can’t put hope in people’s hearts. achieve peace in parts of the world where That is done when our fellow Americans people have quit on peace. Peace is pos- put their arm around somebody who hurts sible in the Middle East. Peace is possible and says, ‘‘I love you.’’ People say, ‘‘What in South Asia. can I do in the war against terror? How I want you to assure your children, when can I fight evil?’’ My answer is, love a they hear their President talk about fighting neighbor just like you’d like to be loved the enemy or bringing them to justice: I yourself. have peace in my mind. That’s my vision. And it’s happening in this country; it sure I want there to be a peaceful world for enough is. People realize that a patriot is all people. See, this country values all life, more than somebody who puts their hand not just American life; every child counts. over their heart and says, ‘‘one Nation When I say no child is left behind—that’s under God.’’ They understand that a patriot obviously a slogan for education here in is somebody who is willing to serve some- America—I mean it for everywhere else thing greater than themselves, and that can too. Children ought to grow up in a peace- be in all kinds of ways. It can be leading ful world, and the United States of America a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop. It can can affect that peace. It’s not going to be be coming out of your church and feeding easy. There’s going to be some steep hills the hungry or coming out of your syna- to climb. But if any nation can do it, it gogue and helping somebody who doesn’t is this strong and—this Nation that’s based have housing find housing. You see, it’s the upon values. millions of acts, millions of acts of kindness And here at home, we can achieve some and decency that take place on a daily basis incredible good too. I don’t know what which defines the true character and true went through the mind of the enemy. They hope and true decency of this country.

1514

2004 12:48 Mar 15, 2005 Jkt 193761 PO 00000 Frm 00362 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193761.008 193761 Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / Aug. 30

No, the enemy hit us, but they’ve awak- airplane was going to be used as a weapon. ened a great spirit of personal responsi- Who knows what it was targeted for, the bility. One of the reasons I decided to run White House or the Capitol, but it was for Governor of Texas is, I wanted to be going to be used as a weapon. Their loved a small part of a cultural change in Amer- ones said goodbye on the telephone. Their ica. I wanted to help encourage this coun- last words were, ‘‘I love you,’’ to their loved try to reject the culture which said, ‘‘If ones. They said a prayer. A guy said, ‘‘Let’s it feels good, just go ahead and do it,’’ roll,’’ and they took the plane in the and ‘‘If you’ve got a problem, blame some- ground. There is a new spirit in America body else.’’ My dream was to help usher of serving something greater than yourself in a period of personal responsibility, when in life. each of us understood we’re responsible for No, the enemy hit us. They didn’t know decisions we make in life. If you’re fortu- they were hitting—they hit a great nation. nate enough to be a mom or a dad, your I promise you, out of the evil done to most important job and important responsi- America is going to come incredible good, bility is to love your child with all your because we’re the finest nation on the face heart and all your soul. If you’re a citizen of the Earth, full of the finest people. of Little Rock, Arkansas, you have a re- Thank you all for coming. May God bless sponsibility to help heal those who hurt. you all, and may God bless America. That is a responsibility for being an Amer- ican, and that period of responsibility is NOTE: The President spoke at 6:30 p.m. in coming. Governor’s Halls II and III in the Statehouse The enemy hit us. They’re evil. But out Convention Center. In his remarks, he re- of that evil is going to come incredible ferred to Tommy Robinson, candidate for Ar- good. Perhaps the most vivid example is kansas’ First Congressional District; Jay that of Flight 93. Deena Burnett is here Dickey, candidate for Arkansas’ Fourth Con- today with us. Her husband was on that gressional District; John Paul Hammer- flight. She knows about which I’m about schmidt, national committeeman, and Marty to speak. She heard it firsthand. These Ryall, chairman, Republican Party of Arkan- were great Americans who were flying sas; and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo across the country and learned that their of the Philippines.

Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting a Certification Required by the Ratification Resolution of the Chemical Weapons Convention August 30, 2002

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. Chairman:) In accordance with Condition 9, Protec- In accordance with the resolution of ad- tion of Advanced Biotechnology, the legiti- vice and consent to ratification of the Con- mate commercial activities and interests of vention on the Prohibition of the Develop- chemical, biotechnology, and pharma- ment, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of ceutical firms in the United States are not Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruc- being harmed significantly by the limita- tion, adopted by the Senate of the United tions of the Convention on access to, and States on April 24, 1997, I certify that for production of, those chemicals and toxins calendar year 2001: listed in Schedule 1 of the Annex on Chemicals.

1515

e Aug 04 2004 12:48 Mar 15, 2005 Jkt 193761 PO 00000 Frm 00363 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193761.008 193761