    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [January 21, 2004]
    [Pages 96-101]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks in a Discussion at Mesa Community College in Phoenix, Arizona
    January 21, 2004

        The President. Well, I appreciate you having me here. You've got an
    interesting accent--[laughter]--thought for a minute you were from
    Texas. [Laughter] Then he told me he was from Australia. And we really
    appreciate our friends from Australia.
        First, I want to thank you for letting me come by. This is going to
    be an interesting dialog to talk about how to make sure our community
    college systems--not only here in Arizona but around the country--meet
    the needs of the modern workforce. Let me put it another way--make sure
    that people get the skills necessary to find work. And that's what we're
    really here to talk about.
        The reason why we're here at Mesa is because you're doing a great
    job. I'm sure we'll hear some of that soon. Before we do, though, I want
    to recognize Members of the United States Congress who are here. I
    appreciate so very much them coming. That would be J.D.
    Hayworth and Trent Franks and Jeff Flake. I don't know if
    you guys were there last night--this is the ultimate loyalty, when they
    hear a long speech last night, then they come and get to hear another
    speech, back to back. But thank you all for being here. I appreciate
    your service to our country and your State.
        I know there's elected officials here. I know there are members of
    the community college board of trustees. I met the chairman, by the way,
    who did a fine job of lobbying on behalf of the funding for the
    community college system--[laughter]--in this vital part of our country.
        Let me--just a couple of comments, and then we'll start the dialog.
    First, we're still at war. And we're going to win the war, because
    there's a lot of really brave, capable, courageous Americans who are
    willing to sacrifice for liberty and freedom.
        I was so touched, when I went to Baghdad or when I met our troops
    around our country, to realize there are people in our country who are
    serving something greater than themself. I think that's such a wonderful
    part of our Nation and our culture. And you just got to know, our
    Government will do everything we can to keep us safe--keep us safe by
    staying on the offensive, by changing parts of the world that had
    embraced tyranny. We believe strongly in America that freedom is the
    Almighty God's gift to every person who lives in the world, every man
    and woman. And America will continue to have a forward strategy of
    freedom to make the world more peaceful.
        And it's hard work. I know it is. But in my judgment, it's essential
    work. It's essential work so that our children can grow up in a peaceful
    and free society. It's essential work so others' children can grow up in
    a peaceful and free world as well.
        At home, we got a lot of good people working in homeland security. I
    met the Governor at the airport today. It
    rained. [Laughter] I said, ``Do you want to take credit for the rain, or
    do you want me to take credit for the rain?'' [Laughter] But she's
    working hard, and the coordination between the Federal and State and
    local authorities is good. We're doing everything we can to protect us.
        The other thing that's happening is, is that our economy is
    beginning to grow. And that's important. There's no need to talk about
    job training if we're not creating new jobs. And that's what we're here
    to discuss.
        I just want to remind everybody right quick what we have been
    through, just to show you how strong America is and how great the
    American people are. We've been through a recession. We went--we were
    attacked, and make no mistake about it, the attack hurt. The attack hurt
    because it made it abundantly clear that this Nation

    [[Page 97]]

    is no longer protected by oceans and that we've got to get on the
    offensive if we're interested in keeping us peace and safe. We had some
    corporate scandals. That hurt us. It hurt us when citizens who should
    know better didn't tell the truth to their employees and their
    shareholders. They're now being held to account, by the way, because of
    good laws we passed. Then we marched to war. When you're marching to war
    to make our country more secure and the world more free, it is not
    conducive to capital investment. That's a negative thought. When you
    turn on your TV screens for a lot of last year, it said ``March To
    War.'' And that didn't instill a lot of confidence in the people,
    because there's a lot of uncertainty when ``a march to war.'' We're now
    marching to peace, and we're changing the world in a better way.
        And the economy is growing, and jobs are getting better. There will
    be honest disagreement about what I'm about to tell you, but I strongly
    believe that the tax relief we passed is helping this economy grow and
    that people have more money in their pocket. So there are jobs.
        Now, I'm going to talk about--we'll talk about the new jobs of the
    21st century. There are some old jobs, however, that are being filled by
    people from other countries. Let's be very frank about what I'm about to
    tell you. There are some jobs that employers are having trouble filling
    because Americans don't want to do them. And therefore, there are people
    from foreign countries coming to do the jobs.
        There's a spirit of parenthood in everybody's heart, if you happen
    to be a mom or a dad. There's a deep desire for people to put food on
    the table to fulfill their obligations. And that's what's happening a
    lot when people come from countries like Mexico to work. They're coming
    to make a living, and they're filling jobs that, frankly, others won't
    do. It seems like to me that we ought to have a policy that's open and
    honest about this phenomena. It's a policy that, in my judgment, should
    say, where there's a willing worker and a willing employer, those two
    ought to be matched up together in a legal way, so long as the employer
    can't find an American to do the job.
        What I'm talking about is a temporary-worker program that recognizes
    the reality of our economy. It's a temporary-worker program that also
    says clearly, we're a land of rule of law, that having people in the
    shadows of our economy is not really the American way, is it? So what I
    want to do is to say, let's have it all legal, in this sense: You can
    come to our country for a period of time so long as there's a job
    available for you.
        Now, that doesn't mean there's automatic citizenship, quite the
    contrary. I strongly oppose what they call ``amnesty'' because all
    amnesty would do is invite more illegal immigration. All amnesty would
    do would say to those who are waiting in line in a legal way to become a
    citizen that legality--being legal doesn't matter in America. It does
    matter. So what I wanted Congress to consider for certain kinds of jobs
    is to put out a temporary-worker card; to get rid of all this business
    about people forging documents that put employers at risk; that say, for
    the period of time you're here, you can go home and take money back
    without fear of being arrested. It's a humane way to approach citizens
    of the world. Imagine being a worker here, and you get abused, and you
    don't dare call the abuser to account because you might get sent home
    and you can't do your job of making money for your family. So that's
    what I call on Congress to do.
        It also is going to help our Border Patrol. It's essential for the
    security of this country that we have a legal system so we don't have
    this terrible problem of ``coyotes'' smuggling these people across the
    hot Arizona or Texas deserts, making money off the system that has now
    developed in America. I think we ought to let the sunshine in, have a
    legal system, recognize realities.

    [[Page 98]]

        At the same time in our country we have a debate over those kind of
    jobs, we've always got to remember to make sure that Americans can find
    work too, of course. One of the interesting phenomena is the
    technological changes that are charging through our economy. And this
    Government--[inaudible]--for us to understand that as technologies
    change, oftentimes people can be left behind. And we've got to address
    it straight on.
        And one of the greatest places to address that phenomena is at the
    community college system. And the reason why it's the community college
    system, it's flexible in its curriculum. The old days of workforce
    training are now changing. It used to be they said, ``Look, just go
    train people,'' so States would go out and train 1,000 beauticians for
    50 jobs. And there would be 950 beauticians without work. But they'd
    say, ``Oh, we punched our ticket. We actually trained people.''
        Now we've got a new attitude in America. We're going to train people
    for the jobs that actually exist, and therefore requires a system that
    is flexible, a system willing to take input from the employers, a system
    that is willing to change curriculum, if need be, to meet the demands of
    local--of the local workplace.
        So last night in my speech, I talked about spending additional money
    to focus directly on these programs, these collaborative programs at the
    community college level, that takes the input from business, takes the
    desire of workers, matches them so people can find good work. And so
    Congress needs to pass $250-million job training money to go
    specifically to community colleges to fund the kind of programs we're
    going to talk about here today.
        I've been talking too much over the last 24 hours, so I want
    Martin to tell us how this collaborative effort
    got going. Now, one of the things that's interesting, I told our
    panelists, is that not only are you speaking to the folks here, but
    there's a lot of people listening. I hope community college systems pay
    attention to what they're about to hear, pay attention to what they're--
    what's taking place here in Arizona. It's a interesting idea. And it's
    one, I might add, that the Department of Labor has helped fund to get
    started.
        So Martin, why don't you educate the people?

    [At this point, Martin Bean, chief operating officer, New Horizons
    Computer Learning Centers, and chair, CompTIA Policy Committee, made
    brief remarks.]

        The President. Obviously, the IT industry is strong here in Arizona.
        Mr. Bean. Absolutely.
        The President. Well--and tell us how this got started.
        Mr. Bean. How we got started?
        The President. Yes. Did you call everybody in the room and said,
    ``All right, let's get after it?'' Somebody needs workers, obviously.
    And so you came up with an interesting idea.
        Mr. Bean. It really got started because
    educators got frustrated that they had to reinvent the wheel in every
    community college, and employers got frustrated that there was no clear
    way for them to be able to mentor and coach employees. And as the
    industry's association, CompTIA said, ``Fine, we'll work with the
    Department of Labor, and instead of building programs for where there
    aren't any jobs, we'll build a set of standards for people to educate to
    employers' needs to get work.''
        The President. A strategy.
        Mr. Bean. There we go. And now we're
    executing.
        The President. Now you're implementing.
        Mr. Bean. Exactly.
        The President. Well, why don't we hear--let's talk to some of the
    implementers. Larry is the president of Mesa Community College, Larry
    Christiansen. Thank you for your
    hospitality.
        Larry K. Christiansen. Thank you,
    Mr. President.

    [[Page 99]]

        The President. I appreciate your staff for putting up with this
    giant entourage of mine. [Laughter]
        Dr. Christiansen. It's been a fun
    few days.
        The President. I bet it has, yes. [Laughter]

    [Dr. Christiansen made brief remarks.]

        The President. Good. How many people come to this particular campus?
        Dr. Christiansen. Just at our
    little place here, at Mesa Community College, we have 27,000 students.
        The President. Right.
        Dr. Christiansen. We have about
    3,000 that participate in our Business and Industry Center.
        The President. And the Business and Industry Center's sole purpose
    is to train people for jobs?
        Dr. Christiansen. That's correct.
        The President. And you've got 3,000 now?
        Dr. Christiansen. Right. That is
    in addition to, as all of our colleges, we have other occupational
    programs that focus on job training as well. But much of what our
    Business and Industry Center does is partnering with industry.
        The President. Right. Here we're talking about IT. I went to a
    community college in North Carolina. There we talked about health care.
    And the only reason I bring that up is that there are several fields
    where there's really fast-growing opportunities. It just requires a
    certain skill. You just can't walk into the job unless you're able to be
    educated into the ways of that particular industry. And in our country,
    it's--a changing economy provides interesting opportunities. And
    Mary is responsible for making sure it all
    works, aren't you?
        Mary I. Vanis. We hope so.
        The President. Yes. Tell us your job.

    [Dr. Vanis, director, Center for Workforce Development, Maricopa
    Community Colleges, made brief remarks.]

        The President. It's the ultimate community outreach.
        Dr. Vanis. It's a great community
    outreach.
        The President. It works because it's administered at the State and
    local level. It's really good public policy.
        Dr. Vanis. It's a great policy.
        The President. I presume some of our students--it's interesting to
    call you a student, isn't it? [Laughter] You never thought you would be
    a student, did you, at this stage of your life, which sets a classic
    example for others to understand that if times get tough and if you've
    got the desire, somebody will want to help you. And in Arizona, you get
    help right here. Good job.
        You want to start? Stacey is with us, Stacey Leedom. She is a student. Stacey, why don't you tell us your
    story? I told Stacey and Bill and Bob that you just don't know, somebody might be watching our
    discussion here, wondering whether or not he or she can have a bright
    future. And to the extent that you can help shed light on where you've
    been and where you're going, it would awfully helpful.

    [Stacey Leedom made brief remarks, concluding as follows.]

        Ms. Leedom. I was lucky enough to get
    hired on by a company called Cable One, contracting first through a
    temporary service. But they are actually owned by the Washington Post.
    [Laughter]
        The President. Can you change the editorial page? [Laughter]
        Ms. Leedom. I'll ask. [Laughter]
        The President. Good luck. I hope you rise quickly in the ranks.
    [Laughter]
        Ms. Leedom. Sorry about that.
        The President. Yes.
        Ms. Leedom. Again, it helps me with a
    daughter. I want her to go to college. I don't want her to make mistakes
    I made of not going at a young age and having a full future and a full
    retirement plan and everything. I now have insurance for her. I have
    insurance for myself. It's a future.

    [[Page 100]]

    And I'm right now, at an entry level, where I was after 15 years of
    being a graphic artist, on income. And that is--in the end, who has to
    pay the bills? Mom has to pay the bills.
        The President. That's a really--first of all, being a single mom is
    the toughest job in America. Being a single mom who needs more education
    and has the desire to do so is doubly tough. And yours is a wonderful
    story. It is a story that others need to listen to. If you're worried
    about your skill set, you're never too old to learn. As a matter of
    fact, we all learn in different ways, don't we? You've been able to take
    your desire to do your duty as a responsible citizen and convert it to a
    employable skill.
        What's really interesting about what she
    said--I want people to hear this--when you hear about productivity
    increases and the changing economy, she just said by taking time to
    develop new skills, she makes more in her new job, in the new world,
    than she did after 15 years in her old job.
        The changing economy can leave people behind if we're not wise. But
    the changing economy also is good news. It creates higher paying, higher
    quality jobs. And that's what's happening here in America. And that's
    why it's essential that these kind of programs that we're talking about
    provide willing souls with the skills necessary to take advantage of it.
    Fifteen years of work, her pay now is higher in one year--how long have
    you been at Capital One?
        Ms. Leedom. I've actually not been there a
    year; I've been there about 6 months.
        The President. I rest my case. I appreciate that. Good job.
        Ms. Leedom. Thank you, sir.
        The President. Bob Chapman.

    [Bob Chapman, a Mesa Community College student, made brief remarks,
    concluding as follows.]

        Mr. Chapman. And at the moment now, I plan
    on getting my degree this spring, and so I'm right now out looking for a
    job. I was able to use some of the resources at the----
        The President. Yes, one-stop center.
        Mr. Chapman. One-stop center. [Laughter]
    That's the easiest way. I was trying to say the formal name for it--at
    the one-stop center.
        The President. It happens to me all the time. [Laughter]
        Mr. Chapman. Then I'm in good company.
    [Laughter]
        The President. Well, thank you.

    [The discussion continued.]

        The President. I think it's important for people who wonder whether
    or not they can afford to go back to community college, there's pots of
    money that will help--Pell grants in this case, trade adjustment money
    in your case. And I assume the financial burden has been eased quite
    significantly.

    [The discussion continued.]

        The President. You mentioned a word that I want to spring off here
    for a second--mentoring. I just want everybody to know that the true
    strength of the country is not our military power or the fact that we're
    the wealthiest nation in the world. The true strength of the country is
    the fact that we've got people with really good hearts. That's the
    strength of America; it's the decency and honor of our people.
    Obviously, what you just said is part of what I'm talking about,
    mentoring to help people.
        Hilary Juel is with us today. Hilary, I'm
    sorry to embarrass you. You shouldn't have come out to see me at Air
    Force One if you didn't want me to introduce you. [Laughter] She is a--
    she's with Make a Difference service group here in Phoenix. Their job is
    to match loving hearts with broken hearts, is the best way to describe
    it; is to help people who heard the call to love a neighbor to just do
    that; is to help save this community and ultimately our country, one
    soul at a time.

    [[Page 101]]

        I want to thank you for being a soldier in the army of compassion. I
    want to urge people in this community to gather up the spirit of the
    Hilarys or what you've heard here today, to make a difference in
    somebody's lives. And it doesn't take much to do so, by the way. If you
    teach a child to read, you're helping America. If you go to a shut-in's
    house and just tell him you love him on a regular basis, you're making a
    difference. No, the strength of this country is the fact that we've got
    citizens willing to serve something greater than themself.
        I think the community college system of America is one of our great
    strengths. I hope that people who have listened here can see that in the
    living proof of three
    citizens who, because of their own will and
    their own desire, took advantage of the opportunity and are now working
    or soon-to-be working. [Laughter] Well, two working and one filling out
    a resume. [Laughter]
        But I appreciate you all sharing your stories with us. It's
    important to know that--for people to know that as this economy changes,
    there's opportunity. You've just got to seize it, just like you three
    have done. I want to thank you for your--for the example you've set. I
    want to thank the folks here for providing a great service to our
    Nation.
        And may God bless you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 4:06 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona; and Bill Moses, student, Mesa
    Community College.