[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 44 (Monday, November 5, 2001)]
[Page 1587]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With the Secretary of the Treasury and the 
Secretary of Labor

November 2, 2001

    The President. Good morning. Thank you all for coming. I just had a 
meeting with our Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Labor. We're 
discussing the new unemployment numbers, and it's not good news for 
America. The attacks of September the 11th have deeply affected the 
lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Not only has it shattered the 
lives of those who have lost life, the attacks have threatened the 
livelihoods of American workers.
    I think it's very important for the administration and Congress to 
work together to extend and expand unemployment benefits to those whose 
lives have been affected by the attacks.
    And we need to work together to prevent further loss of jobs by 
passing an economic stimulus package that, in fact, will cause the job 
base to firm up and expand. I believe we've got the ingredients of a 
good package out of the House. I urge the Senate to work quickly to pass 
a bill, to get the bill in conference, to show the Nation that we can, 
in fact, deal with the aftermath of this tragedy.
    My administration will be actively involved with helping to get a 
package moving. We stand ready. The Secretary of Treasury is prepared to 
take an active role to expedite the process, and we're prepared to take 
an active role to make sure that an airline security bill comes out of 
conference as quickly as possible.
    I want to thank the House of Representatives for a good and 
constructive debate, for the passage of a good piece of legislation, and 
I look forward to working with Members of the Senate and the House to 
reconcile any differences. And I believe the differences are small, and 
I believe they can be reconciled quickly.
    So if I can sign an airport security bill, airline security bill, it 
will say to the American people that we are doing everything we possibly 
can to recover from the aftermath of September the 11th.
    I'll be glad to answer questions at the next--your next opportunity 
to see me.
    Thank you.
    Q. This is the best position I'll ever have. [Laughter]
    The President. We'll work on that. Gordon, make sure the man gets a 
better position. [Laughter]

Note: The President spoke at 10:38 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Assistant Press Secretary Gordon 
Johndroe.