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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Florida NEG Announcement
Stuart, Florida
Thursday, October 7, 2004
Thank you, Susan [Pareigis Director, Governor's Agency
for Workforce Innovations]. You're doing a great job.
First, I want to thank you, Governor Bush, for your strong leadership and
advocacy on behalf of Florida. And I notice that a representative from
Congressman Mark Foley's office is here as well. I just returned from
a tour of some of the damaged areas in Martin County. I saw firsthand
the destruction Floridians have to deal with and the tremendous spirit of
the volunteers helping out. I want to thank Ted Astolfi for
the toru, Mike Moon and all the other state and local officials for their
dedication and commitment.
I am back in Florida for the second time since August to join Governor Bush
in announcing another round of assistance to help Florida workers and families
get back on their feet. President George W. Bush, Governor Jeb Bush—and all
of us here today—are concerned about the enormous damage the recent storms
caused.
Just when you were starting to recover from one hurricane, others struck.
People have lost their homes. Small businesses have been destroyed. Workers
have lost their jobs and many people have lost their livelihoods. But the
people of Florida are determined to move on as quickly as possible and we
will be here for you, as many times as you need us.
So, today, we are announcing an additional $25-million National Emergency
Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. This $25-million grant will pay
for disaster relief and create 1,500 temporary clean-up and repair jobs.
This is in addition to the $50-million emergency grant I announced August
18th. It brings the total amount of hurricane assistance the U.S. Department
of Labor is providing to Florida to $75 million—and the total number of temporary
clean-up and repair jobs to 5,100. These temporary jobs will help renovate
and reconstruct destroyed structures, public facilities and lands. They will
help restore and repair buildings, haul debris and aid in the delivery of
humanitarian assistance.
Like the previous grant, this one will also provide participants in the
temporary jobs program with a number of supportive services. These include
job-related transportation, work equipment and childcare. We want to make
sure that workers have everything they need to take care of themselves so
they can take care of you and your communities as you rebuild. This assistance
is on top of the $335 million the Labor Department provides to Florida annually
for job-training and employment programs.
Those interested in applying for these temporary emergency repair jobs should
contact the One-Stop Career Center nearest you—there are 92 in Florida. You
can locate a center by calling 1-877-872-5627. Or, if you have Internet access,
please visit the Web site: www.floridajobs.org.
Also, we want to make sure that Floridians who lost their jobs as a result
of the hurricanes know that they may be eligible to apply for Disaster
Unemployment Assistance. Many people who would not ordinarily qualify for
state unemployment benefits like farmers and businesses may qualify for this
special program to help families get through emergencies like this. To find
out if you are eligible, please call: 1-800-204-2418 or visit: www.floridajobs.org.
Now, I am pleased to present this check for $25 million to Governor Bush.
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