[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 40 (Monday, October 8, 2001)]
[Pages 1419-1421]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to Department of Labor Employees

October 4, 2001

    Well, thank you all very much for that warm welcome. I'm glad to be 
in the midst of patriots, people who love their country and people 
willing to work hard to help our fellow Americans who may be in need.
    First, I want to thank Elaine Chao for her leadership. I knew I 
picked a good one when I picked her to become the Secretary of Labor, 
and she's proven me right. And my old Governor buddy is doing a pretty 
good job, too. [Laughter] I appreciate the hard work of our Cabinet 
during this period. Like the country, we're united. We know we've got a 
job to do. The evildoers struck. But they may have hurt our buildings, 
and they are obviously affecting some family lives in such a profound 
and sad way, but they will not touch the soul of America. They cannot 
dim our spirit.
    We've got a job to do, all of us. And I'm here to thank you in the 
Department of Labor for your hard work, your concern for your fellow 
Americans. All of us, from the President all the way throughout our 
Government, must be diligent and strong and unwavering in our 
determination and our dedication to win the war on terrorism.
    I've got a job to do, and that's to explain to the American people 
the truth. And the truth is that we're now facing a new threat for 
freedom, that on September the 11th, war was declared on the United 
States, not by a religious group, not by one country versus another but 
by people motivated by evil. And I'm going to make it clear to the world 
what I've made clear to America, that this great country will not let 
evil stand.
    The attack on our land roused a might nation. We're--never been 
united like we have been--as we are today. And we're examining a lot of 
things. We're examining, as moms and dads, what it means to be a parent. 
There are many Americans on bended knee from all different religions, 
praying to an almighty God. We're a nation united in our conviction that 
we must find those evildoers and bring them to justice. We seek not 
revenge in America, we seek justice.
    Americans understand that this is a different type of campaign; it's 
a different type of struggle to defeat an enemy that's sometimes hard to 
see and sometimes hard to find. But what the enemy has found out is 
we're a determined people, and we're patient, and we will do what it 
takes to bring them to justice.
    We built a vast coalition of nations from all around the world to 
join us, nations which understand that what happened in New York and 
Washington could happen to them, as well. They understand it's now time 
to unite to defeat evil. Each nation comes with a different set of 
capabilities and a different set of--a different willingness to help. 
America says, ``We don't care how you help; just help. Either you're for 
us, or you're against us.''
    And the progress to date has been positive, really positive. We've 
got nations around the world willing to join us in cutting off the money 
of the evil ones. Our attitude is, if they can't fund evil deeds, 
they're not going to be able to affect freedom. And so we're talking to 
countries and banks and financial institutions and saying, ``Either 
you're with us, or against us: Cut off their money.''
    We're applying diplomatic pressure from around the world. I promise 
you this: I will enforce the doctrine that says that if you house a 
terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorists themselves.
    This is our calling. This is our Nation's time to lead the world, 
and we're going to do that. And we must do so in a bold and strong and 
determined fashion. We will not waver.
    I fully understand, as I said to Congress, there will be times when 
people feel a sense of normalcy--and I hope that happens sooner rather 
than later--and that September 11th may be a distant memory to some, but 
not to me, and not to this Nation. Now is the time--now is the time to 
root out evil so that our children and grandchildren can live with 
freedom as the beacon all around the world.
    The evildoers cost America a lot of lives. And for the two here in 
the Justice--I mean, in the Labor Department, I say, we will get 
justice, and we grieve with you--the two good folks who suffer as a 
result of September the 11th. I can't tell you how many

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people are praying for you and praying for the victims all across 
America; people you can't even imagine, can't even--will never know, are 
on bended knee.
    And they've also changed a lot of lives, these evil actions. It's 
clear, as a result of today's new unemployment claims, that the attack 
of September the 11th sent a shock wave throughout our economy. And we 
need to do something about it. And I'm going to lead the Congress in a 
way that provides the help and stimulus necessary for there to be 
economic growth.
    It is not time to worry about partisan politics here in America. It 
is time for our Government to continue to work together, to say: We hear 
the cries of those who have been laid off; we worry about the shock 
waves throughout our economy; and instead of talking, we're going to do 
something about it.
    And we've started. We have started. There are $40 billion of tax 
rebates that have been disbursed over the last months that should help 
our economy. The Congress came together and passed 15 billion in 
emergency help for airlines and $40 billion in supplemental spending 
that will help New York rebuild herself and will be a part of--a means 
for enhancing our economic growth.
    But there's more to do. Now is not the time to be timid. It's the 
time to be wise. It's also the time to act. And that's why yesterday the 
Secretary of Treasury and I both said that we need to have more stimulus 
available. We need for there to be more tax cuts.
    I want to remind my fellow Americans that starting next year, there 
will be 70 billion additional dollars of tax reductions and larger child 
credits coming, as a result of the tax package we passed and I signed. 
So there's stimulus available.
    But I look forward to working with Congress in the interim, between 
now and when those tax cuts kick in, to do more. I think we must do 
more. I know we must do more to make sure that our economy gets started. 
And I'm going to ask Congress to ask this question: Will what I vote for 
encourage economic growth? Not will it make me look better at home, or 
will it satisfy a narrow constituency, but will my vote stimulate 
economic vitality and growth? That's the question that Americans are 
asking when we vote on a tax reduction package. And that's the question 
I will be asking.
    I strongly believe we need to make sure that consumer confidence 
stays high, by giving people more of their own money back. We need to 
counter the shock wave of the evildoer by having individual rate cuts 
accelerated and by thinking about tax rebates.
    Secondly, in order to make sure our economy grows, within the 60 to 
75 billion dollar package that we've--the parameters of which we 
outlined, we need to make sure we have investment incentives for U.S. 
businesses, both large and small.
    Not only should we make sure that the individual consumer confidence 
remains high but that we've got to understand that by encouraging 
investment, it will encourage employment. And one of the things that 
Elaine mentioned is that you're a department that makes sure that people 
find work. We've got to have good policy coming out of Congress to make 
sure that as you work hard to help people find work, there's a stimulus 
package that does so.
    People say, ``Well, why did you say that the parameters ought to be 
60 to 75 billion dollars?'' Well, one, we think that's the right size to 
encourage growth without affecting the economy in the long term. And 
secondly, I think it makes sense to have parameters, so that Congress 
doesn't feel like it has to invent a series of new programs in order to 
stimulate economic growth. We know what we need to do. And I look 
forward to working with both Republicans and Democrats to get it done. 
It's the right thing for the American people.
    And there is no question that not only should our Government act to 
encourage economic growth; our Government ought to act to take care of 
people whose lives were affected on September the 11th. We need to move, 
and I've got some ideas as to how we ought to move.
    First, in the post-attack economy, some workers need more help for 
more time. So I propose extending the unemployment benefits by 13 weeks 
in States that have been

[[Page 1421]]

hardest hit by job losses related to the September 11th attack. This 
emergency extension will be paid entirely by Federal dollars and should 
remain in place for 18 months.
    And secondly, I believe the best way to help people meet health care 
needs or job training needs or income support is to fund the National 
Emergency Grant System by an additional $3 billion. This will be Federal 
money that will go to States so they can distribute monies directly to 
people whose lives have been affected.
    I urge the Congress, as they plan ways to deal with this tragedy, to 
look at the Government programs that already exist. We don't have time 
to try to invent new programs. What we ought to do is make those 
programs that exist work better, and here's two solutions to do so.
    And finally, I want to remind Governors and folks in the States what 
Tommy told me earlier today. Tommy said there's $11 billion available to 
help States provide health insurance for low-income workers and their 
families through the S-CHIP program. It's an important opportunity for 
States to expand coverage to people whose lives have been severely 
affected by the September 11th attack.
    This is a way we can help. This is a set of principles for Congress 
to work together to help the American people, stimulate growth, and at 
the same time take care of the workers whose lives have been impacted by 
the September 11th attack.
    And that's what we must do, because, you see, the terrorists hope to 
change our way of life. On the one hand, they hoped that America would 
become timid and cower in the face of their barbaric acts. They were 
wrong. On the other hand, they would hope that we'd become paralyzed and 
unable to act at home in order to do what's right for the American 
people. They were wrong again.
    Instead they have provided interesting opportunities for America. I 
told some world leaders, through our tears we see opportunity; that 
we're sad and angry, but we've got a clear vision of the world; that 
this is a remarkable moment in history which our Nation will seize. 
We'll act boldly at home to encourage economic growth. We'll take care 
of people who hurt. We will comfort those who lost lives. We'll be 
compassionate as to how we deal with Afghan citizens, for example, by 
making sure there's humanitarian aid.
    And we'll be tough and resolute as we unite, to make sure freedom 
stands, to rout out evil, to say to our children and grandchildren, ``We 
were bold enough to act, without tiring, so that you can live in a great 
land and in a peaceful world.''
    And there's no doubt in my mind--not one doubt in my mind--that we 
will fail; failure is not a part of our vocabulary. This great Nation 
will lead the world, and we will be successful.
    Thank you for working for the Government. Thank you for caring about 
our fellow Americans. May God bless you all and your families, and may 
God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 1:40 p.m. in the Great Hall at the Frances 
Perkins Department of Labor Building. In his remarks, he referred to 
Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson; and Labor 
Department employees Eloise Clark and Paul Hylind, both of whom lost 
relatives in the September 11th attacks.