For Immediate Release Office of the
Press Secretary July 11, 2001
Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer The James
S. Brady Briefing Room
Listen
to the Briefing
- Personnel
announcements
- Medicare
/ prescription drugs
- Stem
cell research
- Faith-based
initiative / religious practices
- Hong
Kong / President's meeting with Chief Executive
- Tax
deduction for non-itemizers
- NIH
spending increases
- Immigration
Service
- Republican
Congressional Conference topics
- Cuba
/ Helms-Burton
- Kweise
Mfume / visit request
- Press
conference
- Week
ahead
12:40 P.M. EDT
MR.
FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. I have several
personnel announcements to share. The President
intends to nominate William D. Montgomery as an Ambassador to the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The President intends to
nominate Clifford Bond to be Ambassador to Bosnia and
Hercegovina. The President intends to nominate Mario P.
Fiori to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and
Environment. The President intends to nominate Mary
Peters to be Administrator of the Federal Highway
Administration. The President intends to nominate
Mauricio Tamargo to be Chairman of the Federal Claims Settlement
Commission of the United States at the Department of Justice for a
term of three years. The President intends to nominate
Charles Curie to be Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration. And the President intends
to nominate William Baxter to be a member of the Board of Directors
of the Tennessee Valley Authority for the remainder of a 9-year
term. One final note: The President intends to
nominate Robert Royall to be Ambassador of the United States to the
Republic of Tanzania.
I also want to note that yesterday in
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Foreign Relations
Committee approved the nominations of 16 ambassadors. The
President is thankful to the Foreign Relations Committee for their
action on this large number of diplomats to fill the important
posts. He calls on the Senate to continue to make
progress on the nominations by bringing these votes to the floor, as
well. But he is pleased by the action of the Foreign
Relations Committee.
David.
Q Ari, why does the President think it's a
good idea to give senior citizens who don't have prescription
drug insurance a discount card?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
is very troubled about the price of prescription drugs and the lack
of access that senior citizens have to prescription
drugs. And the President is focused on a series of
Medicare reform principles that he will announce
tomorrow. And the President believes that Medicare reform
needs to make certain that it takes care of the senior citizens'
needs and gets them prescription drugs within the Medicare program.
Q Will you
comment specifically on the discount card that is a part of that?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
also thinks it's very important, even before Medicare reform can be
enacted, to help senior citizens to get the best prices possible so
that the cost of prescription drugs can be lowered.
Q But he does
support putting prescription drugs under the Medicare program, is
that right?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
will have an announcement tomorrow about his principles for
Medicare, and the President does believe that Medicare reform must
and should include prescription drug coverage for seniors as part of
the Medicare program.
Q Is that what he
said during the campaign?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's
correct.
Q That is?
Q Why do a
band-aid proposal? Even supporters of this say this is a
short-term measure --
MR. FLEISCHER: David, I think
that any senior citizen that can get the price of their prescription
drugs lowered won't view it as a band-aid, they'll view it as a
prescription drug.
Q Will there be
new government money making it cheaper for them to buy these drugs,
or is it just a card that ties them into private sector plans that
are already there?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
will make an announcement tomorrow. So on the specifics
that you're asking about, I'm not going to go beyond where I've
gone. The President's announcement will be tomorrow, so
from this podium right now, that's about as far as I can go.
Q The details
that are public, in published reports, are accurate, though?
MR. FLEISCHER: They are
accurate, yes.
Q Ari, is there
any evidence that this will actually lead to a
discount? I mean, if millions of people get a discount,
doesn't it get billed into the price and structure -- I mean, does
it really have an impact --
MR. FLEISCHER: There's no
question this is in places where it's carried out a very popular
program. Senior citizens like it and AARP likes it, and
again, it's a part of combining the power of group purchasing in a
manner that lowers prices.
Q But, Ari, the
drugstores and the pharmacists don't like it. They say
that basically the kind of emphasis on reducing prices is really on
their backs for providing these discounts to the consumers, not on
the backs of the pharmaceutical industry or on government providing
low-income --
MR. FLEISCHER: That may be
the case. But in all cases, the point of the President is
that it's important to help senior citizens get prescription drugs
at as low a price as possible. Seniors need prescription drugs and
the President is committed to helping them receive prescription
drugs and to do so in a manner that is affordable to senior
citizens. And that means lower prices.
Q Is that fair,
if you don't hit the industry and you hit the regular -- the
drugstore owners?
MR. FLEISCHER: It's not a
question of hitting anybody, it's a question of helping people to
get prescription drugs at lower prices.
Q But the burden
falls -- it doesn't fall on the drug --
MR. FLEISCHER: There are
economies that can be achieved through group purchasing.
Q What happened
to your immediate helping hand proposal, to help those seniors that
can't afford even discounted --
MR. FLEISCHER: The immediate
helping hand proposal is part of the President's budget that is
pending before the Congress. Obviously, the Senate
Finance Committee had some members who thought it was not the best
route to take. The President still is committed to
it. The President has kept it out as an active proposal
before the Congress, as a reminder to Congress that, don't forget
our seniors -- they need prescription drugs. And the Medicare debate
will begin most likely sometime this fall. And the
President, tomorrow, will announce his principles for it.
Q -- would be
part of those principles?
MR. FLEISCHER: The immediate
helping hand? It's already a current proposal.
Q -- talks about
the --
MR. FLEISCHER: You'll have to
wait until tomorrow to hear the President's announcement.
Q Ari, given the
shrinking surplus, can you still afford prescription drug coverage
under Medicare or under any other plan?
MR. FLEISCHER: There's no
question you can.
Q Where does the
money come from?
MR. FLEISCHER: From the
budget.
Q Ari, one more
on prescription drugs. Is there a concern, though, that
if you provide these discount cards that might provide political
cover to some lawmakers who don't want to go forward and do
prescription drug coverage --
MR. FLEISCHER: Absolutely
not. The President is committed to both
objectives: to a fundamental reform in the Medicare
system that includes prescription drugs, and the President also
believes, and until a reform can be enacted, it's important to help
seniors get prescription drugs at as low a prices as is possible.
Q As the President considers whether to
federally fund embryonic stem cell research, what impact will
the announcement of the Virginia firm creating embryos for the
purpose of destroying them to extract stem cell lines, what impact
will that have on his decision?
MR. FLEISCHER: The revelation
that there are groups that are now creating stem cells for the sole
purpose of research, is a perfect illustration of the deep
complexities our society faces as a result of science and
life.
Even scientists who are involved in stem
cell research have raised questions about what took place in
Virginia. And the President views this as a reminder that
this is not a simple matter, that this is a matter that involves
very sensitive and important issues that involve questions that are
fundamental about life, about preserving life with science, on the
other hand. And I think when you read that story, you see
that there are many people who are on the other side of the issue on
stem cell research, who are clear advocates of stem cell research,
who have raised questions.
Q Given the depth of these issues, what role
will the President's personal religious beliefs play in his
decision?
MR. FLEISCHER: Terry, the
President's personal religious beliefs do not influence his
government decisions as a matter of religion.
Q This?
MR. FLEISCHER: As a matter of
religion. No. This is separation between
matters of religion and government decisions. The President
approaches these decisions about all matters governmental on a basis
of who he is and what he believes is best for the
country. Who he is, is shaped by a variety of factors,
and that's his background as a governor, it's his faith, it's his
experience in working with Democrats and Republicans to bring about
bipartisanship -- all factors go into one man's
approach. You cannot separate a man's background from his
approach.
But it is a very complicated and nuanced
decision, and it's something the President is approaching in a very
thoughtful and deliberative fashion. And, I think, frankly, it's a
fashion which the American people will take comfort that the
decision the President makes on stem cell research will be based on
a careful thought, careful deliberation and a lot of listening. And
he will make the decision on his own timetable, and he is going to
listen to a lot of parties and face the complexities that this issue
raises for everybody in our American society.
Q Is the
President, like some scientists, opposed to what happened in
Richmond?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
views that as a perfect illustration of the deep complexities that
are raised by this issue.
Q Is he opposed,
is he disturbed by what happened in Richmond?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's the
President's view.
Q Is he opposed
to what happened in Richmond?
MR. FLEISCHER: The
President's view is, this is a perfect illustration of the deep
complexities that this issue raises. And I think when the
President makes his decision on stem cell, and when the President
announces it, I think you'll find all the answers at that time.
Q Ari, following
on that, does what happened in Virginia not speak to the need for
federal oversight of this sort of research, to try to bring everyone
under the NIH guidelines? And if you abandon federal
funding for embryonic stem cell research, are you not, therefore,
encouraging more of this --
MR. FLEISCHER: I give the
same answer as I indicated to Ron, that any questions pertaining to
that I think you'll hear when the President makes up his
mind. You'll hear that expressed from the President,
himself.
Q Ari, I'm
interested in whether the administration would support the denial of
any assistance to anyone by a federally-funded religious
organization because they were not -- they're atheists, they're not
of the same religion? Can any of these charities deny any
assistance -- food or whatever -- to someone who is not of the same
religion or is an atheist?
MR. FLEISCHER: If you're
asking about the hiring practices of religious organizations --
Q No, we already
got that --
MR. FLEISCHER: The providing
of services? Let me take that. I think that's
a legal question; let me take that question.
Q A follow-up to
that. The HR-7 bill already overrides the local and state
initiatives which would allow selective hiring. And I
want to know the administration's of, do they support that provision
in the bill?
MR. FLEISCHER: The HR-7
legislation, the faith-based legislation that passed in the
Judiciary Committee by an overwhelming vote last week contains a
provision that is in full support of the nation's civil rights laws
as passed in the 1960s, and as affirmed in a 9-0 Supreme Court case
that allows religious institutions to make hiring decisions in
accordance with their faith. To the degree that any
federal law has an interaction with a state law that would differ in
any way, that's a matter for the courts to resolve.
Q Ari, if I can
follow that. The group Alliance for Marriage will propose
that the Defense of Marriage Act be turned into a constitutional
amendment -- this act, of course, defining marriage as an union
between a man and a woman, for purposes of superseding state laws
like that in Vermont, which allows same-sex
marriages. What is the White House's position on this?
MR. FLEISCHER: As you know,
there is already a federal law on the books dealing with the defense
of marriage that was signed by President Clinton that states as a
matter of federal law, marriage is an institution that exists
between a man and a woman. The President supports that.
Q What's his view
on the constitutional amendment?
MR. FLEISCHER: I haven't
discussed that with him.
Q Ari, why does
the President favor a provision that basically is going to push
something back into the courts, particularly this --
MR. FLEISCHER: Paula, welcome
to the law. There are all kinds off issues that are state
government issues that involve federalism, that involve different
interpretations of state and local issues, with federal
issues. It's not a one clear-cut system we have; that's
the way our laws work.
Q But in
patients' bill of rights, one of your arguments has been that you
don't want this to protect trial lawyers over patients, that you're
trying to keep things out of the courts. So why are you --
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
believes that people should have the right to sue; it's a question
of which court is an appropriate court, a federal court or a state
court. And that's a matter that deals with ERISA
legislation, as you know, which is a very highly complicated topic
dealing with the rights of insurers to provide
insurance. It's not a statement about whether people have
the right to go to court or not. So the right to go to
court is a guarantee.
What I'm indicating here is that
anytime, as always, that a state law is in conflict with a federal
law, courts get involved.
Q Why isn't it a
preference, though, in this instance, to support a provision that
would just have a federal prohibition against any hiring practices
that discriminate based on gender preference?
MR. FLEISCHER: The federal
law is clear and the President supports the federal law in this
matter.
Q The President is going to meet the Hong
Kong Chief Executive. Why is Hong Kong important to the
U.S.? And what is Hong Kong going to do for China-U.S.
relations?
MR. FLEISCHER: There will be
a meeting later this afternoon and we'll have a readout following
that meeting. But the President has invited Hong Kong
Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa to meet with him today. The
visit is an opportunity for the two leaders to reaffirm the
friendship and close ties between the United States and Hong
Kong. The President recognizes that Hong Kong civil
liberties and rule of law make Hong Kong a model of success and
stability. And the President is looking forward to
listening and hearing from Chief Executive Tung.
Q Is he happy
with the current situation in Hong Kong?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think you'll
get a readout after the meeting, and that's probably the best way to
measure the meeting.
Q Ari, does the
United States support an IMF-World Bank bailout for Argentina?
MR. FLEISCHER: Let me take
that. I have no information for you on that.
Q Mr. Fleischer?
MR. FLEISCHER: Where did that
come from? (Laughter.) Dana, are you throwing
your voice?
Q This is the
first I've asked --
MR. FLEISCHER: We'll go to
Mr. Milbank, and then you.
Q Ari, does the White House support a
reduction in the size of the charitable tax deduction for
non-itemizers, reducing that --
MR. FLEISCHER: As with all
the tax proposals the President has sent to the Hill, he wishes the
Hill would pass his tax proposals exactly as he sent
them. Obviously, that's not always the
case. And our nation is now seeing, as a result of the
tax bill that has been signed into law, even though it wasn't
everything the President asked for, it was an awful lot of what he
asked for.
The actions that will be taken in the
Ways and Means Committee to support the President's faith-based
initiative provide for a charitable deduction for people who do not
itemize on their taxes, just as the President
proposed. It's not at the exact levels that the President
proposed, but it's a $13-billion package. And the
President is very pleased that for the first time since 1986, people
who do not itemize on their tax forms will receive a charitable
deduction. It's not everything he asked for, but it's
much of what he asked for.
Q The question I had is, the President
proposed more than an 11-percent increase for NIH spending on
science and technology this year, but a net cut in other
areas. There's a report coming out today which says --
agrees basically with the administration's arithmetic on that, but
suggests that there might be an increase due in some of the other
areas in order to help the economy and work in other non-medical
research areas. Has the administration considered accepting any
adjustments in its non-medical -- upward adjustments in its
non-medical research or science and technology?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
was very pleased to propose the doubling of the budget for the NIH
that is pending in the Congress right now. It looks like
it's on target. And the President will continue to work
with Congress to make certain that all funding issues are resolved
satisfactorily.
Q Ari, the President announced yesterday he
wants to reform the Immigration Service, split it up into two
groups, make one for service and one for
enforcement. When does he intend to push this proposal to
Congress, and who will be the point man in the White House?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, that was
also part of the President's budget that is pending in the
Congress. It's another reminder to Congress that the
Congress needs to get moving and acting on the President's
plan. The President believes very deeply that immigrants
add to the quality of life in the United States and that we need to
be a nation that welcomes immigrants; the Republican Party should be
a party that welcomes immigrants. And that matter is
pending before the Congress.
Jim.
Q On Monday we asked you when the President
believed that life begins, and you e-mailed us later that day --
MR. FLEISCHER: Correct.
Q -- at
conception. Would it be possible for you to ask him if he
believes that an egg fertilized outside of the womb constitutes
conception, and therefore, a living being?
MR. FLEISCHER: Jim, I think
everybody is asking around about the same questions dealing with
stem cell research and the President's approach to
it. As I indicated, the President will decide this matter
on his own timetable. And when he does, I think the
nation will hear a very thoughtful explanation of what factors the
President took into consideration with whatever decision he makes,
and that will all be shared at the time.
Q Is he on a
timetable?
Q Did this meeting come up with the House
Republican Conference this morning -- did he discuss stem cell
research?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, it did not
come up.
Q Did he present
his Medicare reform plans to --
MR.
FLEISCHER: No. The President's remarks this
morning focused on education, focused on patients' bill of rights,
it focused on the faith-based initiative, it focused on trade, and
the President also thanked the Congress -- Republicans in the House
-- for their action to give strength to the economy by cutting
taxes.
Q Ari, just one
more on the stem cell. Last night the President met with
bio-ethicists. What was he looking for, what was he
listening for in that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, when I
say that the President is approaching this in a very thoughtful and
deliberative fashion, that's evidenced by several of the meetings
that the President has held this week alone. The
President this week has met with people who represent Americans who
suffer from debilitating diseases. The President has met
with people from the Right To Life community. The
President has met with some of the leading ethicists in our
nation. And the President is going to continue to listen
very carefully to all sides of this issue so that when he makes his
decision it will be a very informed decision, it will be a very
sensitive decision, and it will be a decision that recognizes the
deep complexities that this matter raises for our
society. This is not a simple matter.
And the President is very aware that the
ramifications of whatever decision he makes will be with mankind for
a considerable period of time. It is not just a matter for one
President to decide. This is a very fundamental point
that involves some great sensitivities on all sides of a delicate
issue. And that's precisely why the President has been
meeting, and listening. And that will be reflected when
the President makes his decision on it.
Q Well, does he
have a timetable, though, for making a decision? Or is this rumble
just going to continue on indefinitely?
MR. FLEISCHER: As I
indicated, the President will make this decision on his own
timetable. And, again, I think the American people take
comfort in the fact that the President is approaching something that
can last mankind for so long, in such a serious
fashion. And he will make up his mind when he has
completed the conversations that he intends to have and when he is
ready and when the timetable is complete.
Q Does he have
more of those conversations scheduled, Ari, in the next few
days? Is he continuing meetings?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President
will have additional conversations.
Q Within the next
few days?
Q Ari, is he
devoting more time to this decision than any other decision so far?
MR. FLEISCHER: You know, I
was asked about that previously, and it's hard to put decisions on a
linear path like that. Many decisions are
important. This decision involves very profound and
important ethical considerations; considerations dealing with
health, science, technology and the promise of breakthroughs on
health, science and technology. And it also involves
issues involving a culture of life.
Q Ari, you sent
us that e-mail that he believes that life begins at
conception. Does he continue to believe that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes.
Q And that's not
something that he's wrestling with, in making this decision?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think,
again, all the factors that go into the President's decision, the
President, himself, will explain when he made his decision.
Q So he may be
wrestling with that issue, as well?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not going
to indicate anything beyond what I've said: if the
President has something to announce, he will announce it and he will
share that with the American people in a manner that answers many of
these questions. But until then, the President is going
to continue to listen to people and to think very carefully about
this.
I don't think the American people expect
him to be in any hurry to decide this. But they do expect
him to focus on this in a very careful and deliberative fashion
because of the ethical implications of whatever decision is made.
Q Ari, the President has mentioned several
times in front of Cuban Americans that he is going to increase the
pressure on Fidel Castro's regime. And this week he's
going to impose a new waiver for Chapter 3 of Helms-Burton --
that is something that the Cuban Americans are not looking for in
this administration. Do you think this decision will be a
danger for his brother's political future in Florida?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, first of
all, that decision is under review. There is a timetable for it; the
timetable is not yet fulfilled. There is additional time
remaining on the congressional clock, in terms of when that decision
must be made. So I would just urge you to wait until the
decision is made in accordance with the timetable, and there is no
need to decide it today.
Q Ari, two
things. First of all, how can you say that the American
public can understand that the President wants to take his time on
this, when this situation has major medical ramifications?
And, two, Kweisi
Mfume wants to meet with President Bush. He did not
come out inflammatory -- with inflammatory statements -- as
inflammatory statements as Julian Bond. Will he be
granted a meeting with President Bush?
MR. FLEISCHER: Number one, I
stand by what I said. I think that's an accurate
description. And, number two, I'm always willing to share
the schedule with you and there is nothing on it at this moment, but
if anything changes, I'll let you know.
Q Is the
President aware of what's been going on with the NAACP?
MR. FLEISCHER: Certainly.
Q What has he
said about Julian Bond's statements?
MR. FLEISCHER: I've expressed
that.
Q The President has been in office six months
now. He's had only three news conferences
here. When can we expect another news conference, so we
can put him on the pan, instead of you? (Laughter.)
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, some
days I'm very much in favor of that -- more so than others.
Q Only two news
conferences.
Q Two? Is it only two?
MR. FLEISCHER: Three, he's
had three formal news conferences here in the Briefing
Room. And, of course, he had five in a row on the last
trip to Europe, every day of the trip to Europe.
Q That was nice,
but -- (laughter.)
MR. FLEISCHER: We'll keep you
advised when he has news conferences. Will you be joining us on the
trip to Europe? Will you be joining us on the July trip?
Q Will you take
me along on Air Force One?
MR. FLEISCHER: Will you be
joining us?
Q No. (Laughter.)
Q What about new
organizations that don't have enough money to join you on all those
press conferences?
MR. FLEISCHER: I highly
recommend you make more money. (Laughter.)
Q If there was
already language written into the faith-based initiative, the HR-7,
that protected religious organizations from -- protected their
hiring practices, why was the President even considering the bill,
the regulation that the Salvation Army had asked for?
MR. FLEISCHER: Because all
kinds of groups ask for things and they go under
review. And the White House aides who reviewed it, looked
at and made their decision as announced last night.
Q Does the White
House have any reaction to the new criticism from the EU of the
President's position on global warming?
MR. FLEISCHER: The
President's position on global warming remains unchanged.
Q Do you remember
my name?
MR. FLEISCHER: No
sign. (Laughter.)
Q Congressman
Chris Smith --
MR. FLEISCHER: You already
got your question. You said, do you remember my
name? (Laughter.)
Q Well, let me
ask a follow-up.
MR. FLEISCHER: A
follow-up? (Laughter.)
Q Congressman
Chris Smith has a poll that was done several weeks ago that says 70
percent of the country favors stem cell research, but 70 percent
opposes embryonic stem cell research. Will that --
MR. FLEISCHER: Let me stop
you right there. The President has said this is not going
to be a decision that is made by the polls. This is going
to be a decision that the President makes on the basis of what he
believes is right and wrong, having listened to a great number of
people.
I want to just reiterate what I said
before. This is an issue whose implications will last
mankind for an extended period of time. And that is the
manner in which the President is approaching this. Polls
don't matter to him.
Q He is aware
that --
MR. FLEISCHER: We need to
wrap in a second, because there is a Presidential event and I do
have some scheduling announcements I want to share with everybody
about some upcoming events. So let me do that.
Q The President
is aware that his decision will not end research, isn't he?
MR.
FLEISCHER: Let me get to the
announcements. I think we've exhausted the topic.
On Friday, Condoleezza Rice will have a
pre-Europe trip-briefing in this room at 10:15 a.m., on the record,
on camera. And the President will travel to Johns Hopkins
Hospital in Baltimore on Friday, to tour and make remarks on the
patients' bill of rights and on Medicare, before he departs for the
weekend to Camp David.
On Sunday afternoon, the President will
return to the White House, where he will host the third T-ball game
on the South Lawn. The teams will come from what's called
the Challenger League. That is a league for mentally and
physically disabled children.
On Monday, the President will present
the Congressional Medal of Honor to Ed Freeman of Boise, Idaho, in a
ceremony here at the White House. Mr. Freeman
distinguished himself as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. I
will have additional information for you later in the week about
next weeks events leading up to the trip for Europe.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you,
everybody.
END 1:12
P.M. EDT
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