And so I'm looking forward to working with them [Congress] to come up with a good bill. But they need to fund these troops, and they don't need to be putting artificial timetable for withdrawal on the money that we're asking to make sure the men and women who courageously serve the United States of America have what it takes to do the job they've been asked to do. If the Congress can't get the job done — in other words, those jet fumes will start to be moving out pretty soon here, later on this week — if they can't get the job done, then I've got a suggestion for them. Just pass a one-year continuing resolution. That's all they got to do.

I'm going to tell you something. We have fabulous health care in America, just so you know. I think it's very important — before people start griping about the health care system here — and of course there's always grounds for complaint — just to compare it with other systems around the world. And one of the reasons our system is expensive is because some of the new technologies that are coming online, they happen to be saving lives.

Front lines of this efforts are parents, are teachers, are counselors who are sending our kids a clear message, drug use is not fun. It is not glamorous. It is harmful. And I want to thank those who are making that — a clear message. Drugs destroys lives.

One of the interesting tactical decisions that Russia has made that the United States supports is the notion that Iran has a sovereign right to have a civilian nukyular power program. What they don't have is our confidence that they should be able to enrich uranium so that those plants would work. Why? Because they had a covert weapons program that they did not declare and have yet to declare. Secondly, we understand that if they were to develop that weapons program it would be a real danger. And so the Russians said, well, would you support us on this notion — that because they're untrustworthy when it comes to the fuel cycle, we will provide the fuel and we will collect the spent fuel? And I have, publicly. I'll say it again — and we discussed this part of our strategy. Secondly, I explained to him the content of the NIE, what it meant and how our working together has been effective. And thirdly, we talked about ongoing efforts to come up with another U.N. Security Council resolution if the Iranian regime doesn't suspend.

And the fundamental question I have for President Musharraf is, will these elections be under emergency rule or law? Because if they are, it's going to be hard for — well, it'll be hard for those of us who have belief that he's advanced Pakistan's democracy to, to say that's, that's still the case.

Some of them in Congress want to say we're going to spend some of the money, and by the way, tell you how to conduct the war. That's not going to work. We don't need members of Congress telling our military commanders what to do. We need our military commanders telling us what to do so we can win the war against these extremists and radicals.

We're going to — we'll be sending a person on the ground there pretty soon to help implement the malaria initiative, and that initiative will mean spreading nets and insecticides throughout the country so that we can see a reduction in death of young children that — a death that we can cure.

In my judgment, the best way to solve this issue with North Korea peacefully is to put it in — keep it in the context of six-party talks. And the reason why is that diplomacy only works if there are consequences when diplomacy breaks down, and it makes sense for there to be other people at the table so that if North Korea were to have said to all of us, we're going to do x, y, or z, and they don't, that we have other — people other than the United States being consequential.

First of all, it's important for our citizens to understand that we spend 35 billion dollars a year for poor children's health insh — uhh, care, through Medicaid — 35 billion dollars. So if you hear rhetoric out of Washington sayin' we're not taking care of poor children in America, they're just not reminding you of the fact that 'cause of your generosity, we're spending 35 billion a year.

And the fundamental question facing policymakers is how do you make sure that that volunteer army is robust and well-trained. And the answer is, pay people well, but also remember that the spouse makes a big decision as to whether or not people are willing to serve, at least stay in that volunteer army or serve in the first place. And that's why we've improved housing. And that's why we've made sure that a spouse can communicate with his or her loved one on a real-time basis, if they're in Iraq or Afghanistan.

One of the things in a complex environment like the presidency is you got to surround your people — surround the President, or surround myself with people whose judgment you trust. And I listen to my cabinet secretaries, and I bring them in the Oval Office. They've got access to me. They've got to be able to come in and say, here's what I believe. The temptation of politics is for somebody to walk in when you're not looking so good — and walk in the Oval Office and say, man, you're looking beautiful — when you're not. You got to have cabinet secretaries who can walk in and say, here's what's on my mind. And I bet you if I ask [Transportation Secretary] Mary [Peters] and she gives me the reason why she's for it, I bet you I support it.

I just vetoed a bill today, and I want to explain to you why. It's called S-CHIP — Children's Health Insurance Policy.

It is estimated by — here's the thing, just so you know, this program expands coverage, federal coverage up to families earning $83,000 a year. That doesn't sound poor to me.

There's been a heated debate so far in Congress, and I suspect there will be a lot of heat when they come back, because Democrats in Congress got a significant appetite for more federal spending. They passed a budget resolution that includes an extra 205 billion dollars in discretionary spending over the next five years. That averages out to about 112 million dollars per day, 4.7 million dollars per hour, 78,000 dollars per minute. Put another way, it's about 1,300 dollars in higher spending every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every year for the next five years.

More Afghans are stepping up to serve and it's in the interest of the United States to help you develop that national army and local police that will send a clear message to the people of Afghanistan that the governments can help provide an opportunity for children to raise their children in a peaceful world.

You talk about the farmer out there who's worried about makin' crop, that 2,200, dollars, means a lot. It may sound small to the, to the you know, the opiners in Washington, but you ask the average American family, would they raather have the 2,200 dollars to spend on their own, or would they raather send it to Washington, D.C., they'll say, let me have my money, I can do a good job with it.

REPORTER: Mr. President, music is one of our largest exports the country has. Currently, every country in the world — except China, Iran, North Korea, Rwanda and the United States — pay a statutory royalty to the performing artists for radio and television air play. Would your administration consider changing our laws to align it with the rest of the world?
DUBYA: Help. Maybe you've never had a President say this — I have, like, no earthly idea what you're talking about. Sounds like we're keeping interesting company, you know? Look, I'll give you the old classic. Contact my office, will you? I really don't — I'm totally out of my lane. I like listening to country music, if that helps.

Now, I don't know if you know this or not — we're up to about 7 billion gallons of ethanol being produced and used in America. That's up from 2 billion three or three or four years ago. That's a good deal, if you're interested about energy independence, because that energy's comin' from corn growers here in America. Problem is, we're growing a lotta corn for ethanol, which means the price of corn is goin' up for the pig farmer. So we gotta relieve the pressure on the pig farmer by — well, not all, everybody, you know, but — pig farmer's paying – like you, you, use a lotta corn. And therefore, we're, we're, we're spending money on technologies. And I believe more and more people are gonna be using ethanol to power their automobiles.

The immediate goal is to make sure there are more people on private insurance plans. I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room.

You'll hear people say in Washington, well, we need to raise taxes in order to either pay for new programs or balance the budget. I happen to believe we can balance the budget without raising taxes if we're wise about how we spend your money. And we're proving it possible.

How many of you have ever said, gosh, I wonder whether this health care quality is better than the neighbors? I doubt any of you — many of you have done that. Why? Because the system is not geared toward that. Somebody else pays your bills. If you really think about it, and you're working, say, for a company in America, and they provide a health care plan for you, there's a third-party payer. Well, if somebody else pays the bills, why do you care what the cost is at the time of purchase?

I strongly believe the people of Cuba ought to live in a free society. It's in our interests that Cuba become free and it's in the interests of the Cuban people that they don't have to live under an antiquated form of government — that has just been repressive. So we'll continue to press for freedom on the island of Cuba. One day, the good Lord will take Fidel Castro away.

Our country has not ordered a new nukyular power plant since the 1970s, partially as a result of constant litigation and overly complex regulations. So we're working to overcome those obstacles.

REPORTER: Thank you, Mr. President. Yesterday you called for a deadline for U.N. action on Kosovo. When would you like that deadline set? ...
DUBYA: Thanks. A couple of points on that. First of all, I don't think I called for a deadline. I thought I said, time — I did? What exactly did I say? I said deadline? Okay, yes, then I meant what I said.

REPORTER: Will you give any ground on the two-degree target that she [German Chancellor Angela Merkel] wants?
DUBYA: No, I talked about what I'm for. Remember? I said I'm for sitting together with the nations to sit down and discuss a way forward. I think when people really look at what I've said, they say, well, that's an interesting way to bridge the difference between what China has said, for example, and what others in Europe have said.

My position is, is that he [World Bank Group President Paul Wolfowitz] ought to stay. He ought to be given a fair hearing. And I appreciate the fact that he has advanced — he's helped the World Bank recognize that eradication of world poverty is an important priority for the bank.

One of my concerns is that the health care not be as good as it can possibly be.

It's now been 64 days since I have requested that Congress pass emergency funding for these troops. We don't have all of them there. About half more are going to head in. We're making some progress. And 64 days ago, I said to the United States Congress, these troops need funding. And instead of proving that vital funding, the Democrat leadership in Congress has spent the past 64 days pushing legislation that would undercut our troops.

We have made it clear to high-ranking officials, whether they be Republicans or Democrats, that going to Syria sends mixed signals — signals in the region and, of course, mixed signals to President Assad.

President Calderón is taking a tough stand against organized crime and drugs, and I appreciate that. I made it very clear to the President that I recognize the United States has a responsibility in the fight against drugs. And one major responsibility is to encourage people to use less drugs.

I'm sure most people here in South America don't understand the United States has doubled our bilateral aid to countries in Central and South America since I've been the President. It's gone from $800 million to $1.6 billion last year. And I say that not to just brag about dollars, but it's a starting point for people to understand this nation is committed to this prospect: A prosperous neighborhood is in the interests of the United States. A peaceful neighborhood is in our interests.

If I thought we could achieve success [by entering face-to-face talks with Iran], I would sit down. But I don't think we can achieve success right now. And, therefore, we'll want to work with other nations. I think that we're more likely to achieve our goals when others are involved, as well. I really don't want to put the situation — let me put it this way. I want to make sure in the Iranian issue that the whole world stays engaged, because I believe that's a more effective way of convincing the Iranians to give up their nukyular weapons ambitions. That's why. Look, this is a world in which — and I'm not suggesting you're this way — but this is a world in which people say, meet — sit down and meet. And my answer is, if it yields results, that's what I'm interested in. And so I believe the strategy that — and by the way, I remember this during the North Korean issue, debate. People kept saying, well, all you've got to do is sit down with the guy. And I kept saying, well, I think it's going to be more effective if we have other people at the table with us saying the same thing, so that just in case he decides not to honor the agreement, there will be other people saying the same thing I'll say, which is, you said one thing, you did another.

One way to encourage you to make the right decisions when it comes to health care is to take the inequities out of the tax code. If you work for a company, you pay — you get your health care free, in essence.