    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [October 30, 2003]
    [Pages 1425-1429]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1425]]

    Remarks at the Central Aluminum Company in Columbus
    October 30, 2003

        Thanks for coming. I'm honored to be here in Columbus, Ohio. I
    appreciate so very much the warm hospitality. I like to come to good
    football country. I like to be with good, hard-working people, like the
    people here who are sharing the stage with me. I like to be with
    entrepreneurs. I like to be in the State where both my grandfathers were
    raised. My dad's dad was raised right here
    in Columbus. My mother's dad was raised in
    Dayton. So I feel quite at home here in the great State of Ohio.
        I appreciate the good folks at Central Aluminum for letting me come
    and interrupt the work day. I've got some important things to talk
    about. The first thing I want to remind people of is, we're a great
    country because we've got great workers in America. The most productive
    workforce in the world is right here in America. Because of the spirit--
    the entrepreneurial spirit and the work ethic of America, our economy is
    strong, and it's getting stronger.
        The figures for the third quarter--the economic figures for the
    third quarter show that the economy grew at an annual rate of 7.2
    percent. That's the fastest growth we've had in nearly 20 years. Exports
    are expanding. Investment is rising. Housing construction is growing.
    The tax relief we passed is working. We left more money in the hands of
    the American people, and the American people are moving this economy
    forward.
        We cannot expect economic growth numbers like this every quarter.
    Yet, by continuing a progrowth agenda, we will sustain growth and job
    creation in this country. We're on the right track, but we've got work
    to do, and I want to talk today about the need for this Nation to
    develop a comprehensive energy plan to make sure our fellow citizens can
    find work.
        I appreciate Gale Roshon for opening up the
    plant. Thank you, sir. I want to thank John Wright. And I want to thank Bill, who
    showed me how the machine works. [Laughter] I'm honored that the State
    officials are with us today. Your fine Governor, Bob Taft, and the Lieutenant Governor have joined us, for which I'm grateful. The secretary of
    state and State auditor are with us. We've got local officials. We've got a lot
    of people who just came to say hello to the President, and I'm grateful.
    Thank you for coming.
        This Nation has been through a lot in the last 2\1/2\ years. We have
    been challenged. And I've set some big goals for our country; one, we
    believe in freedom and peace. That's what we believe. And I also accept
    the responsibility of making sure this Nation is secure. This Nation
    must never forget the lessons of September the 11th in 2001. We must
    stay on the offensive against terrorists who would do harm to the
    American people.
        We can't forget the lessons of September the 11th. We must
    understand there are people who hate what we stand for. And so we must
    find them and bring them to justice. We must defeat them where they hide
    so we don't have to face them in our own cities. I'm confident in the
    justice of our cause. I'm confident in the character and resolve of the
    American people. I'm confident in the skill and the honor of the
    American military.
        And likewise, I am confident in the entrepreneurial spirit of this
    country, and I'm confident in our workforce. And the reason I'm
    confident is because I know what we've been through. We've been through
    a lot. The country was in recession when we first showed up in
    Washington, DC. And then the terrorists attacked us, and it hurt our
    economy. We went through a lot when the terrorists attacked. Not only do
    we have to reorder our thinking about how to make America secure, we had
    to remember the

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    lessons when it came to protecting our country. But it also hurt our--
    the attacks hurt our country, hurt our economy. It set us back, and we
    began to recover from the attacks, in and out of recession. And then
    unfortunately we had some corporate citizens who forgot to tell the
    truth. They forgot what it meant to be a responsible citizen and didn't
    tell the truth to their shareholders and employees.
        And then, as you know, we took decisive action to uphold doctrine.
    One doctrine was, ``If you harbor a terrorist, you're just as guilty as
    the terrorists.'' And we went into Afghanistan and freed the people of
    Afghanistan from the clutches of a barbaric regime--at the same time
    made our country more secure.
        We upheld the demands of the world by removing Saddam
    Hussein from power, not only for the benefit
    of the Iraqi people who suffered under this brutal tyrant but for the
    benefit of the security of the American people and peace in the world.
    And as we did so, it shook the confidence of the people. It's not a
    very--it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence when people turn on the TV
    and say, ``march to war.'' In other words, it creates uncertainty and
    doubt.
        And yet we've overcome all this. We sent a clear signal to the
    people that forgot to be responsible citizens that if you don't tell the
    truth, there is going to be serious consequences. And the American
    people are beginning to see what I meant about serious consequences for
    those who betrayed the trust. We're obviously doing everything we can to
    make the country more secure.
        We also acted when it came to putting a little wind behind the sails
    of the entrepreneurs by letting people keep more of their own money. The
    tax cuts were an important part of our economic recovery. I believe that
    when people have more money in their pocket, they--you know, they're
    obviously--they're going to demand an additional good or a service. And
    in our society, when they demand a good or a service, somebody will
    produce a good or a service. And when somebody produces that good or a
    service, it is more likely somebody is going to find a job.
        I'm concerned about the stories I read, where people want to find
    work and can't find work. It means we've got a problem. If there's one
    person looking for work and can't find work, it says we have a problem.
    We've got to continue to create the conditions for economic growth. And
    the tax cut, the two tax cuts were an integral part of creating the
    conditions for growth.
        And so we advocated and the Congress passed broad tax relief. I
    believe that if you're going to have tax relief you want it to be fair,
    and everybody who pays taxes ought to get tax relief. The Government
    should not try to pick and choose winners when it comes to tax relief.
        We also understand that the Tax Code should not discourage marriage.
    So we provided relief--so we reduced the penalty on the marriage
    penalty. I understand it's hard to raise children, so we raised the
    child credit from $600 to $1,000 per child. We said the check was going
    to be in the mail. If you happen to be a mom or a dad raising children,
    it actually turned out to be in the mail, which was positive for our
    economy.
        We wanted to encourage investment, not discourage investment, in
    order to enhance the economic recovery, so we cut taxes on dividends and
    capital gains, and we quadrupled the expense deduction for small-
    business investment. And that's important. In other words, this tax
    relief plan not only helped families and individuals, but it also helps
    small businesses. You say, ``Well, why would you want to help small
    business?'' Well, small businesses like this business create the most
    new jobs. If you're interested in job creation, you've got to focus your
    plan on small businesses.
        So not only do we encourage small businesses to invest, we also, by
    cutting the taxes on the individuals, allow small businesses to keep
    more money, because most

    [[Page 1427]]

    small businesses are Subchapter S or sole proprietorships, which means
    they pay tax at the individual income tax rates. Cutting individual
    income taxes provides capital for small businesses. Small businesses
    create more jobs, most new jobs in America. The tax cut was good for
    small businesses. The tax cut was good for job creation.
        Not only were the third-quarter growth figures encouraging, there's
    some--also other encouraging signs. Housing starts are strong, and
    that's important, particularly if you're making aluminum siding--
    [laughter]--if you know what I mean. [Laughter] After-tax incomes are
    rising. Inflation is low. Productivity is high. Businesses are now
    receiving strong orders. Things are improving.
        And we've got a choice to make. Just as the economy is coming
    around, some over in Washington say now is the time to raise taxes. To
    be fair, they think anytime is a good time to raise taxes. [Laughter] At
    least they're consistent. [Laughter] I strongly disagree. Tax relief put
    this Nation on the right path, and I intend to keep America on the path
    to prosperity.
        There is still more to do to make sure our fellow citizens can find
    a job. And so I presented a six-point plan that Congress must act on.
    I'm going to talk about five parts of it, and then I'm going to spend a
    little time on the energy part of it.
        Small businesses must have affordable health care for their
    employees. That's why we need association health care plans, so small
    businesses can pool risk just like big businesses do. Small businesses
    must be allowed to come together in order to pool risk to provide their
    employees with reasonably priced health care. And we need to have
    medical liability reform so that the frivolous lawsuits do not drive up
    the cost of health care.
        Congress must act on medical liability reform. They ought to act to
    limit the junk lawsuits that harm good businesses. We need to cut
    useless regulations. We must work to open up markets for Ohio's
    manufacturers and Ohio's farmers. I want the markets to be open, and I
    want the playing field to be level, so that we have access.
        The tax relief we passed is scheduled to go away. There is a--I'm
    not sure how to describe it--it's like the Congress giveth, and the
    Congress taketh away. [Laughter] But there is a quirk in the rules which
    says that a lot of the tax relief had to expire after 10 years. And in
    the recent tax package, they accelerated some of the expiration dates,
    which means the child credit will go down, the marriage penalty will go
    up, individual rates will change. For the sake of job creation, there
    needs to be certainty in the Tax Code. Entrepreneurs and small-business
    owners don't need to be trying to constantly guess where the taxes are
    going to be. People need to plan, and they need to plan for more than--
    on a more than a one-year horizon. If Congress is truly interested in
    job creation, they will make all the tax cuts we passed permanent.
        To keep this economy moving, to sustain growth far in the future so
    people can work, we need a sound national energy policy. Every person
    who owns a home, every person who works on an assembly line, every
    person who drives a truck or runs a small business depends on reliable,
    affordable energy. That's what we depend upon. Our economic security and
    our national security requires secure sources of energy. We must become
    less reliant on foreign sources of energy.
        I've come to Central Aluminum because this company and these
    employees rely upon reliable sources of energy. The company spends about
    30 percent more on natural gas this year than it did last year. That's a
    cost that makes it hard to expand the workforce, when money goes into a
    30-percent increase in your energy bill. By not having enough energy at
    home, our manufacturing sector is not doing as well as it should be.
    When the gas prices go up, the manufacturing sector hurts here in Ohio
    and around the country.

    [[Page 1428]]

        Congress needs to pass a sound energy plan to help deal with the
    issues that confront this good company, Central Aluminum. First, we need
    more energy production close to home. We need to produce in our own
    country, and we need to encourage exploration in our own hemisphere so
    we're less dependent from other parts of the world. Our Nation and our
    hemisphere have got natural gas, the energy used right here in this
    plant. But this resource has been hampered by restrictions on
    exploration.
        Congress should allow reasonable exploration and responsible
    exploration to bring more natural gas to the market, which will lower
    the costs of the product. Congress should promote research into the next
    generation of nuclear plants and encourage investment in existing
    nuclear plants to expand a clean and unlimited source of energy.
        Congress should encourage clean coal technology so that we can use
    our Nation's most plentiful energy resource in an environmentally
    responsible way. In other words, the energy bill ought to encourage the
    use of resources close to home. When you increase supply, it takes
    pressure off price. We need a commonsense, reasonable energy policy. I
    call upon Congress to pass that commonsense, reasonable energy policy.
        Part of the energy bill I submitted--and by the way, we submitted a
    package to Congress 2 years ago and are kind of grinding through all the
    details now--but part of that package says America needs a better
    infrastructure as well. We need better pipelines, gas terminals, and
    powerlines so that the flow of energy is reliable.
        You might remember what happened last summer. I certainly do. The
    rolling blackout affected this State of Ohio. That ought to be a signal
    that we need to modernize the electricity grid. The bill we're trying to
    get out of Congress understands that. The current grid is old, and it's
    inefficient in places. Incredibly enough, Federal law discourages new
    investment in the infrastructure. You got old laws on the books that
    need to be changed. We're heading into a new era. We've got to think
    new. We've got to be ready for the 21st century. By keeping investors
    from entering the electricity and the natural gas business, it stifles
    the capacity to provide more electricity and more natural gas. And
    remember, when you increase the supply of a product, it takes pressure
    off a price, which means people are more likely to be able to find a
    job.
        We need to encourage new investment in a modern electric grid,
    ending old rules. We need mandatory--not voluntary--reliability
    standards for our power companies. We now need to make sure that the
    placement of new powerlines, which oftentimes get bogged down because
    local authorities block transmission lines, that the Federal energy
    officials have the authority to site new powerlines. That's what we need
    to do. We need to modernize our grid so the lights don't go off in
    people's homes, so that business owners are able to plan for a stable
    and expanding workforce. We need to wake up and realize we're heading
    into the 21st century, and we need a 21st century energy policy, is what
    we need to do.
        And a 21st century energy policy says this country must develop and
    deploy the latest technology to provide a new generation, a different
    kind of energy, new sources of energy, cleaner and more efficient energy
    sources. A lot of companies in Columbus are doing some groundbreaking
    research on what I'm talking about. For example, we ought to expand tax
    credits for renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. We ought
    to see if we can't use technology to diversify our energy supply in a
    smart way. Congress should fund research in a new hydrogen fuel
    technology that I called for in my State of the Union. We ought to make
    sure that we use ethanol from corn and biodiesel made from soybeans. It
    seems to me to make sense that we ought

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    to use our technology and know-how to grow our way out of dependence on
    foreign sources of energy.
        In other words, we need a comprehensive plan. We need to encourage
    production, and we need to encourage conservation. We need to use the
    energy resources we've got at hand in an environmentally friendly way.
    And we need to advance new kinds of energy. But we've got to get after
    it. And that's my message to the United States Congress: Resolve your
    differences; understand that if you're interested in people finding a
    job, we need an energy policy. That's why I'm here. I want these people
    working. I want their friends to be able to find jobs. Get the bill
    done.
        Now, we've overcome a lot in this country, and there's still more to
    do. We're making tremendous progress. But we can't rest. We can't rest.
    We're making great progress in helping people find a job. But as I said,
    so long as one person is looking for work, this administration will
    continue to figure out ways to encourage economic growth by empowering
    the entrepreneurs of America and the small businesses to do smart things
    to create a condition for economic growth. We'll continue to stay on the
    offensive when it comes to keeping the Nation secure.
        As well I will continue to speak to the great character of the
    American people and to call people to action in order to help people
    understand that the American Dream is meant for them. Listen, there are
    people amidst our plenty who hurt, people who wonder whether or not
    America is meant for them. And I understand those challenges, but I also
    understand the strength of the country. It lies in the hearts and souls
    of our fellow citizens. I'm probably looking at people who are doing
    what I'm about to say--ask you to do, but there are thousands of people
    in our country who love a neighbor just like they'd like to be loved
    themselves, who are mentoring a child, who are helping feed the hungry,
    who are providing shelter for the homeless.
        See, our society is changing and will continue to change one heart
    and one soul at a time, because our fellow citizens have heard the call
    to love a neighbor. And my call to you all is if you see somebody who
    hurts, help him. Remember that Government can hand out money--we do a
    pretty good job of it at times--but what we can't do is put hope in a
    person's heart or a sense of purpose in people's lives. That's done when
    a fellow citizen puts their arm around somebody who hurts and says, ``I
    love you. What can I do to help you?''
        Now, this is a fabulous country. We've met the challenges that have
    been put to us. There will be other challenges to come. I stand
    confident before you, knowing that we can meet any challenge because of
    the greatness of the people who live in America.
        Thanks for coming by today. May God bless you all, and may God
    continue to bless America. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:54 p.m. in the plant. In his remarks, he
    referred to Gale Roshon, owner, John Wright, general manager, and Bill
    Haines, press operator, Central Aluminum Co.; Gov. Bob Taft, Lt. Gov.
    Jennette Bradley, Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, and State
    Auditor Betty Montgomery of Ohio; and former President Saddam Hussein of
    Iraq. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of these remarks.