WASHINGTON — President Bush and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus met Monday in a White House gathering that some members said left them optimistic, but others said it was short on commitment.
In the meeting's opening remarks, Bush reiterated his "respect for the Hispanic culture."
Bush said he and the caucus members would talk about a variety of issues, most important how to "make sure the world is more peaceful, more educated and more prosperous." The remainder of the meeting was closed.
At the meeting, the caucus focused on the issues of immigration, education and Bush's budget proposal for the Small Business Administration.
The caucus chairman, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, and some other members were diplomatic in describing their meeting with Bush, emphasizing his agreement to review some of the concerns they raised and was sensitive to them. Reyes said the outcome of the meeting might mean more money for education.
"We are well on our way to a good relationship, a productive relationship that we hope will be mutually beneficial because we feel very passionately not just about these three issues but issues that affect Latinos all across the country," Reyes said.
Rep. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, was less optimistic.
"I think the president was long on listening and short on commitments," Menendez said. "The fact of the matter is while he has sensitivity to Vieques, he's not committed to the cessation of bombing."
Vieques is a Puerto Rican island, part of which is used by the Navy to conduct training including bombing runs.
The caucus gave Bush a letter asking him to end the Navy training on the island. The letter was signed by more than 100 members of Congress.
The Hispanic caucus has 18 members, all Democrats.
Nationally, the Hispanic population grew 58 percent from 1990 to 2000.
On the Net: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute: www.chci.org/