[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 22 (Monday, June 4, 2001)]
[Pages 824-826]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks at Camp Pendleton, California
May 29, 2001
The President. Thank you all very much. General Hagee, thank you
very much. Thank you for your warm welcome here at the white house----
[At this point, there was an interruption in the audience.]
The President. Thank you. Behave yourself. [Laughter]
General Hanlon, thank you very much. And General Conway, I
appreciate so very much you greeting me. It's an honor to be here with
Colonel Christian, Sergeant Major Royce Coffee, Sergeant Major M.G.
Markiewicz, and the fine troops of Camp Pendleton.
I appreciate so very much Members of the United States Congress who
are here, stalwarts when it comes to sound defense spending, strong
advocates for tax relief, education reform--Congressmen Mary Bono, Duke
Cunningham, Duncan Hunter, Darrell Issa, and Dana Rohrabacher. Thank you
so much for coming here.
It is a real great privilege for me to be here today. I've had a
heck of a week, particularly since I've been able to spend a lot of time
around America's military forces. Last Wednesday I attended a
reenlistment ceremony at the White House, where we swore in a group of
sailors and marine airmen to a new term. Two days later I had the honor
of giving the commencement address at Annapolis at the Naval Academy.
And yesterday I had the high privilege of laying a wreath at the Tomb of
the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery. I spent a lot of quality time with a
lot of quality people, the people who wear the uniform in the United
States military, the men and women who serve and sacrifice so Americans
can sleep in peace, knowing that freedom is in good hands.
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I've been looking forward to this trip, and looking forward to being
able to extend a proper Marine Corps greeting--Ooh-rah!
Audience members. Ooh-rah! [Laughter]
The President. There's no higher honor than to serve as Commander in
Chief. It's also a high honor to be able to come to Camp Pendleton, a
place that helps turn new recruits into leathernecks, a place that
serves as home to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and to one of
America's oldest and most decorated units, the 1st Marine Division.
Camp Pendleton serves as the launching pad for what Marines do best,
to deploy rapidly so you can be the first on the scene wherever freedom
and America's interests are threatened. As the stone markers in our
midst remind us, marines have sailed from Camp Pendleton to fight at
Guadalcanal, at Okinawa, and Inchon. Marines from Camp Pendleton fought
in the jungles and rice paddies of Vietnam. Marines from Camp Pendleton
helped liberate Kuwait. Today, you carry forward this proud tradition,
ready to answer when America calls.
Because you are Marines, you are often asked to perform the most
difficult and dangerous missions. Because you are Marines, you not only
accept this challenge, you embrace it, not for glory and not for self
but for God, country, corps, and your fellow marines.
I respect your service. I appreciate your sacrifice, and I know what
you contribute to our Nation. In a world of fast-changing threats, you
give us stability. Because of you, America's secure, and the march of
freedom continues.
I know how hard your work is. I know that your frequent deployments
are hard on you and hard on your families. Marines pride themselves on
traveling light and fighting hard. But here at home, you and your
families deserve something better. You deserve our Nation's full
support, and with this administration, you will get it.
The first budget I submitted to Congress contains a $1.4 billion
military pay raise. That's on top of the pay raises that Congress
recently passed. It provides $400 million in new funds to improve
military housing and $3.9 billion to improve military health benefits.
After all your country receives from you, you must receive better
housing, better pay, and better health. You're entitled to a defense
budget that meets our current needs and our future obligations. And
you're entitled to a Commander in Chief who sets a clear goal, a clear
vision for our military. And that goal is to be well equipped and well
trained, to be able to fight and win war and, therefore, prevent wars
from happening in the first place.
No one can come here without being struck by the physical beauty.
Marines are good stewards of our southern California coastline. You're
also practicing good stewardship by the way you're using--and not
using--the supply of energy in California.
The Federal Government is the single biggest user of electricity in
the State of California. On May 3d, I ordered all Federal agencies to
take extra steps to conserve energy. And the Department of Defense
immediately committed itself to reducing its electricity consumption by
10 percent during peak hours. I'm pleased to report that the military
and Federal agencies are exceeding expectations.
And Camp Pendleton deserves special credit, and I am here to give
you special credit. I congratulate you for seeking extra conservation
savings over the 10 percent. And that's going above and beyond the call
of duty, and I salute you. Altogether, we estimate that the Federal
conservation efforts will save the State 76 megawatts per hour during
peak use periods, when power is most needed; 76 megawatts per hour is
enough electricity for 140,000 people during peak demand periods. That's
as many people who live in Pasadena, California.
Over the past 30 years, Americans have made steady conservation
progress. If we still used energy the way we did in 1972, we'd be using
74 percent more energy today than we actually do. A new car uses about
60 percent as much gasoline as a car made in 1972. A new refrigerator
uses about only 30 percent as much electricity as a 1972 refrigerator.
Yet this conservation progress slowed in the 1990s, and more than 40
of the 100-plus
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recommendations in my administration's energy plan are intended to
protect the environment, help hard-hit communities, and revitalize our
conservation efforts all across the country.
We have other initiatives, as well. Our Nation needs to modernize
its networks for moving energy from the powerplant to the outlet on the
wall. Again, you in California know that well. For almost 20 years, it's
been clear that what's called Path 15, the stretch of transmission line
connecting the power grids of northern and southern California, needed
to be expanded and modernized. And now we're taking action to get the
job done.
Energy Secretary Spence Abraham is speeding approval of the
necessary permits and easements. We're going to unplug the Path 15
bottleneck. We're advancing toward an interstate electric grid to match
our interstate highways and interstate phone systems.
Rising energy prices are a challenge for everyone. I believe you
will find my tax relief plan will provide some help, a tax relief plan
that is worth $100 billion to the consumers all across America,
including those who wear the uniform. But for some Americans and some
Californians, high energy costs are more than a challenge, they're an
emergency, and our Government must respond.
In February my budget--I asked Congress for $300 million in aid for
low income people struggling with rising energy bills. Today I'm
announcing I'll ask Congress for an additional $150 million in low
income energy assistance, and I hope Congress acts quickly.
Energy debates sometimes throw off some sparks. But this is no time
for harsh rhetoric. It's certainly no time for name calling. It's time
for leadership. It's time for results. It's time to put politics aside
and focus on the best interests of the people.
This is an administration that's focused on results. We're going to
work together--the Federal Government, the State government, the
military, and all the citizens. Speaking of citizens, you're the best of
citizens. You commit your lives to our country. You dedicate yourself to
something greater than yourself.
Whatever is asked of you and your fellow marines, you have given, as
Abraham Lincoln said, ``The last full measure of devotion.'' As I look
in the eyes and shake the firm grips of your fellow marines, it reminds
me the Marine Corps is in good hands, and so is our country.
Thank you so very much for your hospitality and Semper Fi.
Note: The President spoke at 9 a.m. at the 1st Marine Division
headquarters building. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. Gen. Michael
W. Hagee, USMC, commanding general, and Sgt. Maj. Royce G. Coffee, USMC,
1st Marine Expeditionary Force; Maj. Gen. Edward Hanlon, Jr., USMC,
commanding general, and Sgt. Maj. Michael G. Markiewicz, USMC, Camp
Pendleton Marine Corps Base; Maj. Gen. James T. Conway, USMC, commanding
general, 1st Marine Division; and Col. Paul C. Christian, USMC,
commanding officer, Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Air Station.