April 3, 1981
I just have a brief statement. First, an expression of appreciation from the President to the
Senators here and to the Senate itself for its performance yesterday. But let me just briefly make
some comments that there is in the administration clearly -- and the President has asked the Chief
of Staff to have me convey this deep gratification by the Senate's action on the budget
yesterday.
The 88-to-10 vote dramatically began the process of saving $36 billion for the American people in
'82. And it's clear that this was bipartisan -- Republicans and Democrats alike responding to the
demands of the American people to get the economic house in order, and the overwhelming
bipartisan vote is a heartwarming indication that elected officials really do mean business. And it's
significant that during the Senate debate there were a lot of very popular amendments -- popular
on both sides of the aisle. But they would have watered down the economic package and the
economic effect of the package, and they were beaten back. And this kind of responsiveness to
the national interest is really in the great spirit of cooperation between the two branches of
government.
We hope that it will serve -- speaking for the administration, and I'm sure the Senate feels that
way, having responded overwhelmingly on that vote -- we hope it will be an example to the
Members of the House of Representatives, who now have the same responsibility ahead of them
in the future weeks here.
So, I express the President's congratulations, and I commend the Senate for its thorough
examination, open debate, on the important issue of economic recovery. Obviously, the debate
was spirited at times, but bipartisan cooperation prevailed and that was the encouraging thing.
Yesterday's vote, we recognize, was simply an important initial step, but combined with tax
reduction and relief from overregulation and stable money supply, we are confident that there will
be a restoration of our economic vitality in this country.
I am particularly grateful, of course, to the majority leader of the Senate and to Senator Domenici
and his counterpart on the important committee that handled all of this, Senator Fritz Hollings.
The Senate really behaved magnificently in the view of the administration, and I really came up
here today to simply say, ``Thank you.''And if you would convey that to others -- we caught the
Senate at a rather quiet time, but after what you've been through, why, it's appropriate there be a
little lull.
Thank you all very, very much. And now I am going to go down and see the President, and I
know that the Senators have agreed to respond to any questions, if anybody would like to ask
them.
Thank you.
Note: The Vice President spoke at 12:10 p.m. to reporters assembled outside the Capitol.