Remarks Following a Meeting With the Budget Review Board and an Exchange With Reporters

The President. Good morning. Welcome to the Budget Review Board. We've been going over the budget that I'll be submitting to the Congress next Tuesday night. I want to thank OMB Director Mitch Daniels for doing a really fine job.

It is a budget that clearly sets out priorities. It is a budget that sets aside Social Security money for only—to be used only for Social Security. It is a budget that will substantially pay down debt, and it's a budget that provides meaningful, real tax relief for our citizens.

In the budget, I prioritize education. I talked about that yesterday. We also prioritize the health care needs. We recognize the Federal Government plays a very important role in researching cures for disease, and therefore, our budget increases the NIH budget for 2002 by $2.8 billion, the largest increase in that Department's history.

And so I'm very much looking forward for the American people to see and hear the budget presentation. It's a practical budget. It makes a lot of sense. It meets a lot of needs. And the people of this country are going to realize we spent a lot of time on it and will realize that they've got an administration that is practical, full of common sense, and always asks the question, how can we help the people of the country?

Thanks.

National Economy

Q. Is the uptick in inflation going to make it harder to get the economy going again?

The President. Not with the Secretary of the Treasury at the helm. Thanks a lot.

Major League Baseball Opening Day

Q. Are you going to Puerto Rico to see the Rangers?

The President. Are you?

Q. I'd like to.

The President. I'm not putting out my opening day plans yet.