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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 17, 2002

President Meets with Labor Leaders to Discuss Energy Policy
Remarks by the President in Meeting with Labor Leaders
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Washington, D.C.

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1:11 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Let me just be to the point. A good energy plan is important for our national security, and it's important for job security. Around the table, I'm honored to be sitting with people who represent thousands of working people. And they asked the same question I asked: What can the federal government do to help people find work? What can we do to create jobs?

And this energy bill that we're working on is a jobs bill. And when we explore for power, U.S. power, U.S. energy in ANWR, we're not only helping us become less dependent on foreign sources of crude oil and foreign sources of energy, we're creating jobs for American workers, jobs so that men and women can put food on the table.

That's the question these two leaders ask all the time: How best can I help the members of my union find work? What can I do to make them -- you know, be able to feed their families. It's the same question I ask. And that's why we're linked up on this issue. We've got Republicans sitting around this table, we've got Democrats sitting around this table, we've probably got some people who don't care about politics sitting around the table. But all of us know that the energy bill that's now stuck in the Senate, that can't get voted on in the Senate, will be good for America. It will be good for our foreign policy, good for our national security, and more importantly, it will be good for jobs.

And so I want to thank you, Jimmy, for your leadership. And Doug, thank you very much. I appreciate you all working with us. I appreciate members of my Cabinet for coming. Together we can show the country that when we work together, we can do what's right, do what's right for the working folks. And so I'm honored you would let me come by. It's a privilege to be around this table. There's no telling what kind of conversations have gone on around this table. (Laughter.)

But it is a huge honor. Thank you, sir. Doug, thank you very much. (Applause.)

END 1:13 P.M. EST