THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all
for coming. Today, visiting with the Speaker and the Leader,
it's the end of a long week of discussing how to make sure our economy
begins to grow again.
I want to appreciate Danny and Trent for
coming down again. They've been visiting with their members
and I've been visiting with them and their members. I also
had a good discussion today with Minority Leader Gephardt and, of
course, Senate Majority Leader Daschle the other day, as well, about
how we can kind of get away from all the distractions that tend to
dominate Washington and focus on a pro-growth agenda for this fall.
The unemployment numbers today are
evidence that I've seen firsthand as I travel the country; and that is,
too many people are losing their jobs as a result of a slowdown that
began when Dick and I were campaigning across our country last
summer. This slowdown is real and it's affecting too many
lives and we're concerned about it.
Any American out of work is too many
Americans out of work. And that's why it's absolutely
essential that we work together to put a growth plan in place to create
jobs for hard-working Americans. It starts with having a
responsible budget that meets our nation's obligations without
affecting Social Security or dipping into Social Security.
We made a great step toward economic
growth when we worked together to pass tax relief. One-half
of the checks have gone out; more relief is on the way this fall, which
should help our economy. Beginning in January 1st, Americans
will see lower tax rates, lower withholding from their paychecks and a
larger tax credit.
Tax relief is just now making its way in
the economy, and there are some, it seems like, who are beginning to
say, maybe we ought to raise taxes. But I can assure you,
the four of us on this stage are not going to let anybody pick the
pockets of the American taxpayer.
To help get our economy moving again,
Congress needs to enact an energy plan which will lower energy costs
and create jobs. To get the economy moving again, Congress
needs to enact trade promotion authority, so we can open up new markets
for American products.
We've got a plan to get our economy moving
so Americans can find work. And, today, I want to thank the leadership
of the Congress from the Republican side that came and strategized with
the Vice President and me as how to get this plan moving. I
want the American people to know we're deeply concerned about the
unemployment rates and we intend to do something about it.