Bush urges Congress to act quickly on legislation
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He also calls Armenian genocide bill 'counterproductive' and defends his decision to attend ceremony for the Dalai Lama
By James Gerstenzang, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
10:06 AM PDT, October 17, 2007
10:06 AM PDT, October 17, 2007
WASHINGTON -- President Bush chastised the Democratic-led Congress today for failing to send him the overdue appropriations measures, and pressed it to approve four trade pacts and renew his centerpiece education program.
But even as he criticized what he said was the lack of progress on Capitol Hill, the president said that "we're finding common ground on Iraq."
Bush said he believes "the debate has shifted" in the wake of congressional testimony last month by Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, and Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. military officer there. Both said that the U.S. troops this year had allowed the country to make some progress, including a reduction in violence.
The president spoke at a news conference in the White House press briefing room -- at times defensive, at times taking an aggressive approach toward Congress when urging it to act quickly on his proposals.
He defended his administration's dealings with Turkey, on which it relies as a central staging area for supplies going into Iraq. Turkey has threatened an incursion into Iraq to challenge Kurdish rebels who seek sanctuary there after raids into Turkey, and it has expressed its outrage over a congressional panel's approval of a non-binding House resolution labeling as genocide the Turkish massacre of Armenians early in the last century.
"One thing Congress should not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire," he said, calling the resolution, which has been approved by the House Foreign Relations Committee, "counterproductive."
The president also defended his decision to attend a ceremony this afternoon at the Capitol honoring the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal, despite China's strong objections to his public recognition of the Tibetan Buddhist leader. Chinese officials refuse to meet with the Dalai Lama.
"I admire the Dalai Lama a lot. I support religious freedom," Bush said, explaining his decision to take part for the first time in a public event with the religious leader. "I like going to the Gold Medal ceremonies."
The president said he had told Chinese President Hu Jintao when they met in Sydney, Australia, at the beginning of September that he would take part in the program "because I want to honor this man."
Bush met with the Dalai Lama on Tuesday as he has in the past -- in private, in the White House residence rather than in the Oval Office.
Commenting on Russian President Vladimir V. Putin's hints that he might become prime minister after his presidency ends, Bush cracked, "I've been planning that myself."
With the 45-minute press conference drawing to a close, no one had asked him about the controversial children's healthcare program that he vetoed. So the president brought it up himself. He argued that the measure sent to him expanded coverage to children that he thinks should be excluded because their families are not poor.
Instead, he said, the program needs to be fixed to focus instead on the neediest children.
And, pushing Congress to act on his agenda, he singled out pending trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea, and said "Congress has work to do on trade."
The Peru agreement is moving through Congress, but the others have stalled.
james.gerstenzang@latimes.com
But even as he criticized what he said was the lack of progress on Capitol Hill, the president said that "we're finding common ground on Iraq."
Bush said he believes "the debate has shifted" in the wake of congressional testimony last month by Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, and Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. military officer there. Both said that the U.S. troops this year had allowed the country to make some progress, including a reduction in violence.
The president spoke at a news conference in the White House press briefing room -- at times defensive, at times taking an aggressive approach toward Congress when urging it to act quickly on his proposals.
He defended his administration's dealings with Turkey, on which it relies as a central staging area for supplies going into Iraq. Turkey has threatened an incursion into Iraq to challenge Kurdish rebels who seek sanctuary there after raids into Turkey, and it has expressed its outrage over a congressional panel's approval of a non-binding House resolution labeling as genocide the Turkish massacre of Armenians early in the last century.
"One thing Congress should not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire," he said, calling the resolution, which has been approved by the House Foreign Relations Committee, "counterproductive."
The president also defended his decision to attend a ceremony this afternoon at the Capitol honoring the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal, despite China's strong objections to his public recognition of the Tibetan Buddhist leader. Chinese officials refuse to meet with the Dalai Lama.
"I admire the Dalai Lama a lot. I support religious freedom," Bush said, explaining his decision to take part for the first time in a public event with the religious leader. "I like going to the Gold Medal ceremonies."
The president said he had told Chinese President Hu Jintao when they met in Sydney, Australia, at the beginning of September that he would take part in the program "because I want to honor this man."
Bush met with the Dalai Lama on Tuesday as he has in the past -- in private, in the White House residence rather than in the Oval Office.
Commenting on Russian President Vladimir V. Putin's hints that he might become prime minister after his presidency ends, Bush cracked, "I've been planning that myself."
With the 45-minute press conference drawing to a close, no one had asked him about the controversial children's healthcare program that he vetoed. So the president brought it up himself. He argued that the measure sent to him expanded coverage to children that he thinks should be excluded because their families are not poor.
Instead, he said, the program needs to be fixed to focus instead on the neediest children.
And, pushing Congress to act on his agenda, he singled out pending trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea, and said "Congress has work to do on trade."
The Peru agreement is moving through Congress, but the others have stalled.
james.gerstenzang@latimes.com
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