President Bush Participates in a Conversation on the America

July 9, 2007,10:30 A.M. EDT,THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Thanks for coming today. In my recent trip down to Central and South America, I told the folks that we were going to host a conference here in Washington, a conference to promote best practices, which really says, how best can the United States help people in our neighborhood.,gathering⁴⁵ was to highlight extensive society-to-society relationships between the U.S. and its neighbors and to further promote the theme of how the United States helps its neighbors promote education, health care and economic opportunity at all levels. White House photo by Chris Greenberg" src="/upimg/allimg/20070714/1123570.jpg" width="254" align="right" border="0" /> Laura and I had a magnificent trip to Central and South America. It reminded me of the importance of having a peaceful and prosperous neighborhood. It's in our interests, in the interests of the United States that our neighborhood be healthy and educated. And so this conference is an attempt to bring together key people of my administration and faith-based groups and private sector¹ groups from the United States, as well as our neighborhood, to discuss how we can work together to promote social justice, to help people realize a better life through good education and good health care.,I do thank members of my administration who have joined us. I understand after this event there's going to be a series of breakout groups, led by members of my Cabinet -- Hank Paulson is here, the Secretary of the Treasury². As a matter of fact, he's heading down to, I think, Brazil tomorrow. Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce, will be leading a group. Mike Leavitt will lead a breakout session -- he's the Secretary of Health and Human Services. And then Margaret Spellings, who is the Secretary of Education. I think you're going to find these folks to be concerned, compassionate³ Americans who care about the lives of our citizens in our neighborhood. And I appreciate them, certainly.,And then you get a speech from my wife, which is like really smart to have her speak. (Laughter.) You're stuck with the B team right now, and then the A team will be coming for -- (laughter.),I want to thank all the folks who have joined us. Thanks for coming. As you can see, we've got an interesting way of making a variety of points. What I hope to accomplish at this breakout session is to, first, explain to our fellow citizens how important it is that the United States be active in the neighborhood in which we live.,Secondly⁴ -- and, by the way, thanks, ambassadors, for coming. I appreciate you all being here. It's very kind of you to take time out of your busy schedules to be here. We're honored you're here. Secondly, it's important for us -- for me to explain to our fellow citizens some of the work we're doing in the neighborhood. I think our citizens will be pleased to know, for example, that we're working very hard to get trade agreements through our Congress, because the best way to help defeat poverty is to encourage commerce and trade., We've got trade agreements we've reached with Peru and Panama and Colombia. It's really important for the United States Congress to pass these trade agreements. If you're interested in prosperity in our neighborhood, if you want to help improve the lives of others, then the United States Congress must honor the agreements we've negotiated with these important countries and pass this legislation.,I'd like to see the Peruvian deal done by the beginning of August. They've got time to get the bill done. Members of Congress have got ample days on the calendar to pass this important piece of legislation, so we can send the clear signal to our neighborhood that we want you to be prosperous; that we want to help you realize your potential through trade with the United States of America. Trade agreements are good for both sides -- it's good for U.S. workers, and it's good for Peruvian, Colombian, or Panamanian workers. And it's in our interest to promote trade.,Secondly, we're doing a lot to promote health. One symbol of our commitment is a Navy medical ship called the Comfort, that is traveling the region, but, more importantly, is providing basic and sophisticated health care to people in need. I mean, the United States, we're strong, no question about it, but our greatest strength is our hearts. Tenemos corazones grandes aqu en este pa s. We care deeply about the plight⁵ of other people. And when we see their suffering, we want to help. And the Comfort is a way for us to send a clear message that we care about the people that live in the neighborhood that we occupy together.,You know, Laura and I had an amazing experience in Guatemala. That's Maria's country. We went to the highlands. We first saw a small business guy, who was formerly⁶ a subsistence farmer who put together a cooperative of fellow farmers that now have got access to the U.S. markets, and they're making a living. The most important thing was, he said, I'm saving money so my child can get a higher education.,But we also went to an outpost where the U.S. military was providing basic health care for people. Now, we've expanded on that health care initiative by setting up a nurse's training center in Panama. That's what Leavitt will be discussing, Secretary Leavitt. The reason I bring this up is that we understand how important it is for people to have good health. We understand that a healthy society is one that will -- is one in which people will be more likely to realize their full God-given potential. And we want to help, and we want to be involved. And part of our discussions today will be how best to -- how best can the United States and faith-based groups and private groups and NGOs work collaboratively to achieve important objectives.,A third objective is education. As I mentioned, Margaret Spellings will be here. She's the Secretary of Education. But the United States is deeply involved in people-to-people projects, all aimed at improving literacy. We believe strongly in helping⁷ teachers teach, and therefore, teacher schools make a lot of sense. But the purpose of the groups today -- of this meeting today is to help us better focus our resources and do a better job of helping people in our neighborhood realize their potential.,I happen to be a person who does believe in an Almighty⁸, and I believe the Almighty implants⁹ in each soul great human potential. And it's in our interest to help people realize their full potential. And two ways to do so -- and two practical ways to do so is for the United States to be involved in health issues, as well as education issues, and we are. And we're spending a fair amount of taxpayers¹¹' monies to achieve those objectives. And so one of my objectives is to explain to the American people, it's in your interest to help people in our neighborhood become better educated, and it's in your interest that we help people get good health care, because a healthy and educated and prosperous neighborhood is in the long-term interests of the United States.,It is also in our interest to help a neighbor in need. It renews our soul. It lifts our collective spirit. I believe to whom much is given, much is required. We've been given a lot as a nation, and therefore, I believe we're required to help -- help people realize their potential.,So that's why I've come. I've also come to hear some of the folks on our panel. You're probably glad I'm about to quit talking so you can hear some of the folks on the panel, too. We're going to start with Shannon. He's worked for me at the NSC in the White House, now is at the State Department. He is the main guy when it comes to South and Latin America -- I don't know if that's a diplomatic term, "main guy," or not. (Laughter.),ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: It works for me, sir.,THE PRESIDENT: That's right. Welcome.,ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Mr. President, thank you very much, and thank you for being here for this conversation.,This conversation will really frame and inform the rest of this conference. And we have around the table with us today representatives of Mexico, Brazil, Haiti, the United States, and Guatemala. It really does span the Americas, but it also captures the themes that we're going to be talking about today -- expanding economic opportunity, investing in education, strengthening health care, and building public-private partnerships¹³.,And our panelists, I believe, will highlight the dynamism and the hope and the effort that really defines the Americas today. And they're evidence that there is a positive agenda in this hemisphere, and it is a positive agenda that has emerged within our democracies. And they're evidence that there are common values that join us and that there are shared tasks that confront us. And, ultimately, they're evidence that we all respond to the demands of our peoples for respect, dignity and freedom.,Our conversation is about the future of our democracies and the recognition that citizenship¹⁴ in our democracies is not just political; it's also social and economic. And our citizens seek not only a voice in their national destiny, but also the capacity and the opportunity to shape their personal destinies. Our panelists and those who follow today in the different breakout sessions highlight, I believe, the richness of our hemisphere and the potential that can be released when governments listen to and work with their peoples.,Finally, this conversation is evidence that our diplomacy¹⁵ in the Americas, the diplomacy of the United States, is larger than just the diplomacy between states; it is really between and among peoples. And we're working towards an alliance of peoples in the Americas. And, Mr. President, I think this is a great place to start.,THE PRESIDENT: Yes, thank you, Thomas.,Before I call on Maria, I do want to say something about our expectations, and that is, we expect governments to be of, and by, and for the people. We don't -- and we expect governments to be honest and transparent¹⁶ and open. We reject the notion that it's okay for there to be corruption¹⁷ in government. We really believe that open, transparent societies are those that lead to hopeful tomorrows.,And so part of our foreign policy -- for example, through the Millennium¹⁸ Challenge Account -- is to set expectations, expectations that most people want: the expectation of a government that invests in the health and education of her people; the expectation that there will be no corruption, that there will be transparency, that people will be able to express themselves in an open forum¹⁹ without fear of reprisal²⁰.,And so, no question we want to be involved on the people-to-people programs, but we also have the objective of enhancing good government, as well, which we believe strongly will lead to more hopeful futures²¹.,Anyway, Maria is here. Where are you from, Maria?,MS. PACHECO: I'm from Guatemala.,THE PRESIDENT: Que bueno. Bienvenidos.,MS. PACHECO: Muchas gracias.,THE PRESIDENT: And so what do you do for a living?,MS. PACHECO: In Guatemala, I have a little business incubator. But before I go into that, I just want to say that I'm really happy to be in a country like this, because I think this country represents dreams and represents dreams becoming realities. And I also come here to this country with a dream.