Exchange With Reporters on the Extension of the Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 1982 Appropriations

Q. Mr. President, was this a manufactured crisis to make the point you wanted to make?

The President. Not at all. I could not sign the bill as it came down last night, yesterday, and I so informed them that there would be a veto message.

Q. And yet you signed the continuing legislation now?

The President. And I asked for an extension, and of course, we now must come back and do the work all over again in the Congress on a bill that can be signed. But I'm glad for this extension so that no one's holidays were disrupted.

Q. What's going to happen after Thanksgiving?

The President. Well, we will come back and start to negotiate a bill that I can sign.

Q. Did you just sign it right now?

Q. Do you still have confidence in Richard Allen [Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs]?

The President. I have just signed this extension just now, yes.

Q. Have you seen the Brezhnev proposals on pulling out missiles out of Europe?

The President. What?

Q. The Brezhnev proposal to pull out hundreds of missiles.

The President. I haven't heard any word of that.

Q. Did you have fears that you might have to carry out the trash yourself?.

The President. Carry out what?

Q. Did you have any fears that you might have had to carry out the garbage yourself?. [Laughter]

The President. No, no. Happy Thanksgiving.

Mrs. Reagan. Happy Thanksgiving.