For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 12, 2002
President Discusses Priorities in Radio Address
Listen to the President's Remarks
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. We have entered
a busy season here in Washington. Soon, Congress will be
back in session. I will go to the Capitol to report on the
state of our union and I will present a budget that sets the priorities
of our government for fiscal year 2003.
Our highest priorities are clear to all. We must give
our military every tool and weapon it needs to prevail in the war
against terror. We must strengthen our country's defenses
against further attack, with a comprehensive program of homeland
security. And we must get our country's economy growing and
creating jobs once again.
The economy is a concern for all Americans, especially for those
out of work. These Americans need extra help. My
economic plan proposes an additional 13 weeks of unemployment insurance
benefits for workers who have lost their jobs and direct assistance to
protect their health insurance.
My plan is based on the simple truth that people out of work need
an unemployment check; but what they need even more is a steady
paycheck. So I have joined with Republicans and Democrats in
proposing concrete steps to create more jobs and help spur more growth
in the economy. The House passed this plan. The
Senate needs to act on it.
Difficult economic times brings hardship to many other Americans,
as well: single moms or disadvantaged young people trying to
get into the work force. My budget seeks to help them, too,
by adding resources to vital programs that have proven their
value. One of our government's most effective services is
the Women, Infants and Children program, which counsels mothers on
nutrition and health care for their children. In my budget
for the coming fiscal year, I will propose an increase of $364 million
for the WIC program. This will be enough to serve nearly 8
million women and children each month.
Another vital program is the Job Corp, which provides employment
training to more than 72,000 disadvantaged young
Americans. In my budget, I will ask Congress for an
additional $73 million to expand the good work of the Job
Corp. This will help to pay for new residential training
centers. We will also secure high school accreditation for
Job Corps training so that more young people can have the advantage of
a high school diploma.
These are some of the elements of the budget I will be sending to
Congress. My budget focuses on the pressing needs of our
country and on the basic needs of our citizens. I am
committed to building a strong economy that spreads its benefits to
everyone. This goal reaches beyond politics or party, and
I'm confident that Congress will join me in the work ahead.
Thank you for listening.
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