 Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, the Vice President, and David Packard. Thank you very much. Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, during the past four years, we have made great progress in rebuilding our national defense and in confronting the challenge of offensive or effective defense management. Credit rightly goes to our civilian defense leadership, particularly Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger. It also goes to our men and women in uniform and to the American people for their support in our efforts. We've accomplished a great deal, and we have much to be proud of, but there's still a great deal left to do. When our administration began its activities, the problem of defense management we knew would be demanding and difficult, almost as difficult as I had gotten that sentence out. There were various barriers to efficient management, including legislative barriers that stubbornly defied our efforts to remove them. And that's why I appointed an individual with unmatched management credentials when I appointed Cap Weinberger. And while overseeing our much needed buildup of our defensive strength, Cap has done a tremendous job at ferreting out waste and fraud. That's one of the reasons why you hear about it in the news. But a public misconception has developed from all of this. A misconception born at least in part of a drumbeat of propaganda and demagoguery that denies the real accomplishment of these last four years. The situation reminds me of the old saying, don't clean the skeletons out of the closet. They'll accuse you of murder. Well, we've ignored that advice in this administration. When Secretary Weinberger came to the Defense Department, he pledged with my full and continuing support to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of defense management. And he went straight for the skeletons in the closet, and there were many. Cap has put in place many management reforms, and more proposals are being considered both by the Department and Congress. I think all of the reforms and all of the new proposals should at this time be evaluated and reviewed. And so today, I've decided that the recommendation of Secretary Weinberger and in consultations with Congress to appoint an independent bipartisan Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management. They will review the progress already made in improving management and procurement. And we've also asked them to look at the organization and decision-making procedures at defense and give us their recommendations. In addition, the commission will study and report on the congressional oversight process as it relates to the Defense Department. It's my expectation that the commission will send us an eventual blueprint for action that will provide for continuing improvement in the Department of Defense's peacetime and combat effectiveness. This is an important task, and so I have asked David Packard to serve as chairman of the commission. He is a former Deputy Secretary of Defense, as you know with an impeccable record that includes wide experience in and knowledge of our defense system, the defense industry, and government. I will soon ask a number of other leaders in the business, legal, and academic communities to join us in this effort. And may I point out here that few things are more important to me than the work that this commission will do. Waste and fraud by corporate contractors are more than a rip-off of the taxpayer. They're a blow to the security of our nation. And this the American people cannot and should not tolerate. I want to thank Bill Dickinson of Alabama and Bill Roth of Delaware, who've been working on this issue in the House and Senate. They and many other members of the Congress have given us sound advice on the creation of this commission. I hope that Congress as a whole will support this effort and that together all of us, the administration, the commission, the Congress, will be able to establish the bipartisan support needed to ensure a strong defense for America and its allies. And I thank you, and now, Mr. Packard. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I'm very honored by your comments. And I am also honored by the trust you have shown me by giving me a chance to undertake this assignment. And you may be certain that all of the commission members and I who give this challenging task, you have assigned to us on defense procurement, on defense organization, on defense command and control, our very best effort. And I'm pleased also that you want us to do our job on a completely independent, nonpartisan basis. And that's exactly what we are going to try to do. The charter you have given us will make possible a top to bottom review and a tough review. Because of the importance of this assignment, we will do everything we can to meet the timetable you have set for us. I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to work with you, Secretary Weinberger, the military services, and the armed services, and the appropriation committees of the Congress to help carry forward the outstanding work that has been done during the four and a half years of your administration. Despite the controversy that has blown up over the defense establishment, I am quite sure that all of the people in your administration, all of the people in the Congress, and indeed all of the people across this great country of ours, share your goal. The United States should be second to none in military strength and in military capability. Secretary Weinberger has done a dedicated job in uncovering some of the problems in the management of our defense establishment. It is his strong resolution to go after these problems that has brought out a good many of these horror stories before the public. Weapons that don't work, consorbent prices for spare parts, illegal payments, illegal charges, and other evidences of a troubled situation. I know, as well as anyone, I think that these problems did not begin during your administration, Mr. President. I had to deal with the same problems when I was in Pentagon 15 years ago. But I want to say also that it's a nil win that blows no good. I think the public disclosure of these problems has produced a call for action by the administration, including the Defense Department, by the Congress, by the defense industry, and indeed from all of the people all across our country. Everyone agrees now that these problems that have been going on for too long, they've become too serious. And it's time we all join together to take some corrective action. I believe we can and will develop a real non-partisan team effort. The Defense Department, the National Security Council, the Congress, and the defense industry working together with a firm resolve to finally do something about these serious problems. And I'm convinced that we can with a real team effort improve the management of our defense establishment and assure the people of our country that they will get better value for the billions of dollars that are being spent. Now, I know this will be a big, a complex, and a difficult job. And our commission will take a comprehensive and an independent approach. And we will not hesitate to recommend some tough action. And I know this job can be done, Mr. President. I hope that our commission, working with members of the Congress, many of whom are here today, and with the civilian and military people of the Department of Defense, and with many other groups from all walks of American life, will be able to do something more than just produce another report. I hope we can recommend to you, Mr. President, specific actions that will enhance our defense effort. Mr. President, I will do my very best to live up to the trust you have given me to serve you and the people of our country. Thank you very much. Thank you, all, ladies and gentlemen, and now you ought to get in the shade. We're doing everything that can be done, and I have no further comments that I'm going to make at this time. I'm not going to comment on anything other than to tell you. We're doing everything that can be done. They're off the plane, sir. Are they safe or not? They're off the plane? I'm not going to comment. Are they off the plane? I'm afraid so they're going to have a candy on them. Who's Frank? Who are you? Can it? I'm going to raise a hand. I'm going to raise my hand. I'm going to raise my hand. I'm going to raise my hand. I'm going to raise my hand. Mr. McFarlane, do you have anything to add to the President's comments?