[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 3 (Monday, January 21, 2002)]
[Page 59]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

January 12, 2002

    Good morning. We have entered a busy season here in Washington. 
Soon, Congress will be back in session. I will go to the Capitol to 
report on the State of our Union, and I will present a budget that sets 
the priorities of our Government for fiscal year 2003.
    Our highest priorities are clear to all. We must give our military 
every tool and weapon it needs to prevail in the war against terror. We 
must strengthen our country's defenses against further attack with a 
comprehensive program of homeland security. And we must get our 
country's economy growing and creating jobs once again.
    The economy is a concern for all Americans, especially for those out 
of work. These Americans need extra help. My economic plan proposes an 
additional 13 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits for workers who 
have lost their jobs and direct assistance to protect their health 
insurance.
    My plan is based on the simple truth that people out of work need an 
unemployment check, but what they need even more is a steady paycheck. 
So I have joined with Republicans and Democrats in proposing concrete 
steps to create more jobs and help spur more growth in the economy. The 
House passed this plan; the Senate needs to act on it.
    Difficult economic times brings hardship to many other Americans, as 
well, single moms or disadvantaged young people trying to get into the 
workforce. My budget seeks to help them, too, by adding resources to 
vital programs that have proven their value. One of our Government's 
most effective services is the Women, Infants, and Children program, 
which counsels mothers on nutrition and health care for their children. 
In my budget for the coming fiscal year, I will propose an increase of 
$364 million for the WIC program. This will be enough to serve nearly 8 
million women and children each month.
    Another vital program is the Job Corps, which provides employment 
training to more than 72,000 disadvantaged young Americans. In my 
budget, I will ask Congress for an additional $73 million to expand the 
good work of the Job Corps. This will help to pay for new residential 
training centers. We will also secure high school accreditation for Job 
Corps training so that more young people can have the advantage of a 
high school diploma.
    These are some of the elements of the budget I will be sending to 
Congress. My budget focuses on the pressing needs of our country and on 
the basic needs of our citizens. I am committed to building a strong 
economy that spreads its benefits to everyone. This goal reaches beyond 
politics or party, and I'm confident that Congress will join me in the 
work ahead.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 3:20 p.m. on January 11 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on January 12. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
January 11 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
this address.