[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 31 (Monday, August 7, 2006)]
[Pages 1422-1427]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the Port of Miami in Miami

July 31, 2006

    Thanks for the warm welcome on a warm day. [Laughter] I'm proud to 
be here in this really dynamic city. You know it's an amazing part of 
our country when you walk off and a Member of the United States Congress 
says, ``Bienvenido a Miami.''
    This trip is a little different from the last time I spent the night 
here in Miami. Last night Jeb and I had some crabs with members of the 
1972 Miami Dolphins, Dan Marino and his really dynamic wife; TV stars--
Andy Garcia, a movie star. We had a fantastic experience. It's a lot 
better, by the way, than preparing for a presidential debate. [Laughter]
    I'm glad to be here. I'm glad to be with brother Jeb. We're really 
proud of him in our family. He's a guy who does what he said he's going 
to do. He's a good man, mi hermanito.
    Miami is a strong and vibrant city, and because your economy is 
strong and vibrant, you've helped this State's economy grow and you've 
helped the country grow. I want to spend some time talking about the 
economy and how we can keep our economy strong--no better place to do 
that than here in the Port of Miami. I'm proud to be with those who work 
in the port. I'm particularly proud to be with those who wear the 
uniform of

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the United States of America. Thanks for serving.
    The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard has joined us today, 
Admiral Thad Allen. Thanks for coming. Rear Admiral David Kunkel is with 
us. I appreciate you being here, Admiral. I particularly want to thank 
all those who are on our ships, work in our ports. And I thank your 
families. You tell your wife or your husband how much this country 
appreciates the support of our families for our Coast Guard men and 
women.
    I want to thank Bill Johnson, who is acting seaport director. I'm 
proud to be here with the Federal Emergency Management Agency head, Dave 
Paulison--south Floridian by the way. Members of the United States 
congressional delegation are with us, starting with the Congresswoman 
from this district, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Los hermanos Diaz-Balart are 
with us today, Lincoln y tambien Mario. It's good to see you guys. 
Thanks for coming. Clay Shaw, Congressman Shaw is with us. I'm proud 
you're here.
    The new speaker of the house, Marco Rubio, is with us today. Mr. 
Speaker, thank you. Mayor Carlos Alvarez is with us, el alcalde. Thank 
you. Mayor Manny Diaz is with us. Thank you, Manny. I want to thank all 
the local folks for coming, all the people who are concerned about south 
Florida--the local officials. I'm proud to be here.
    Let me start by telling you I'm monitoring the situation in the 
Middle East very closely. Secretary Rice was in the region over the 
weekend, and she is working urgently to get a sustainable cease-fire, a 
cease-fire which will last. We're going to work with our allies to bring 
before the United Nations Security Council a resolution that will end 
the violence and lay the groundwork for lasting peace in the Middle 
East.
    As we work with friends and allies, it is important to remember, 
this crisis began with Hizballah's unprovoked terrorist attacks against 
Israel. Israel is exercising its right to defend itself. And we mourn 
the loss of innocent life, both in Lebanon and in Israel. We're 
determined to deliver relief to those who suffer; we're determined to 
work to resolve this crisis.
    To achieve the peace that we want, we must achieve certain clear 
objectives: Lebanon's democratic Government must be empowered to 
exercise sole authority over its territory. A multinational force must 
be dispatched to Lebanon quickly so we can help speed the delivery of 
humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people. Iran must end its financial 
support and supply of weapons to terrorist groups like Hizballah. Syria 
must end its support for terror and respect the sovereignty of Lebanon.
    This approach will make it possible what so many around the world 
want to see: the end of Hizballah's attacks on Israel; the return of the 
Israeli soldiers taken hostage by the terrorists; the suspension of 
Israel's operations in Lebanon; and the eventual withdrawal of Israeli 
forces.
    The current crisis is part of a larger struggle between the forces 
of freedom and the forces of terror in the Middle East. For decades, the 
status quo in the Middle East permitted tyranny and terror to thrive. 
And as we saw on September the 11th, the status quo in the Middle East 
led to death and destruction in the United States, and it had to change. 
So America is opposing the forces of terror and promoting the cause of 
democracy across the broader Middle East.
    This task is long; it is difficult work, but it is necessary work. 
When democracy spreads in the Middle East, the people of that troubled 
region will have a better future. The terrorists will lose their safe 
havens and their recruits, and the United States of America will be more 
secure. The hard work of helping people realize the benefits of liberty 
is laying the foundation of peace for generations to come.
    It's an honor to be here at the largest container port in Florida 
and one of the most important ports in our Nation. From these docks, 
ships loaded with cargo deliver products all around the world carrying 
that label, ``Made in the USA.'' See, the Port of Miami is shipping what 
the world wants to buy. The Port of Miami is also the largest cruise 
port in the whole world. All you got to do is drive down the highway and 
look at the size of those ships. This is known as the ``Cruise Capital 
of the World.'' And that's important.

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It's important for the people who want to find a job here.
    See, the Port of Miami not only enables us to ship products all over 
the world, which encourages job creation--people working here, getting 
those products moving around the world--but it's also a place where 
tourists come to travel the world on some great cruise ships, which 
means that chefs and grocers need to be hired to prepare food for the 
people on the ships or accountants and travel agents to handle the 
bookings or hotel workers to house the passengers before the ships 
depart.
    One reason south Florida's economy is doing well is because of the 
importance of this port. But it's just not the port that is helping the 
people in south Florida. Do you realize that over the past 3 years, the 
Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area has created more than 200,000 
new jobs? The unemployment rate in this area is down to 3.2 percent. 
It's amazing economic vitality in this part of the world, and I 
congratulate the entrepreneurs.
    Today I met with some entrepreneurs. I met a guy named Nelson 
Gonzalez. Are you here, Nelson? Yes, there he is. And he's got a partner 
who's not here. But think about this--I want to tell you about Nelson's 
story. It is an American story. It's a story about two people who had a 
dream, and 10 years ago they sat in Nelson's garage talking about how to 
create a business. And they had $10,000 in capital to start their 
business. And so they decided to build high-performance, custom-designed 
personal computers. That was their dream. First year, the revenues were 
$87,000, like they started getting moving. Last year, the revenue was 
$192 million. They went from 2 people sitting in a garage to employing 
750 people.
    So here's the spirit behind Nelson's dream. He said, ``Losing was 
not just in our vocabulary. We overcame a lot of things. We really 
didn't sit on our laurels, and we always look at what we can improve.'' 
See, one of the jobs of Government is to put policy in place that 
encourages the entrepreneurial spirit to flourish. We want more people 
owning their businesses. We want more dreamers working hard to 
accomplish their dreams. And when they do, more people find work.
    One of the reasons why the national unemployment rate is at 4.6 
percent is because the entrepreneurial spirit is strong in America. And 
we intend to keep it that way. And one of the ways to make sure 
entrepreneurs like Nelson and others are able to realize dreams is to 
keep the taxes low.
    There's a great temptation in Washington to say, ``We can spend your 
money better than you can,'' see. But when you start talking about 
raising taxes, you're talking about taking money away from entrepreneurs 
and small-business owners. Good policy is policy that says, we want to 
strengthen the small-business sector in America. We want the 
entrepreneurial spirit to flourish. And one of the ways to do so is to 
make the tax cuts we pass a permanent part of the Tax Code.
    And here's another way that we can help the entrepreneurial spirit 
flourish and help make sure south Florida remains a vibrant part of our 
national economy, and that is to open up markets for trade. I'm worried 
about protectionist tendencies in the United States, people saying, 
``Well, we don't want to--really want to compete. Let's just kind of 
throw up some walls and barriers so people can't sell products into the 
United States.'' Such policies will damage the Port of Miami; such 
policies are short-sighted, as far as I'm concerned.
    America is home to 5 percent of the world's population. That means 
95 percent of the world's population are potential customers. The port 
is known as ``The Gateway of the Americas'' for a reason, because 
international trade is one of the key reasons why Miami prospers. I 
don't know if the folks realize that because of trade--in other words, 
the ability to move products overseas--120,000 jobs here in this part of 
the world are supported by trade.
    I believe trade leads to opportunity; trade leads to jobs; trade 
means this port will remain vibrant. And so good policy from our 
Government perspective must be to continue to working up--working to 
open up markets for U.S. products, and say to people around the world, 
``You treat us the way we treat you.'' In other words, trade must be a 
two-way street. We must work to open up markets but at the same time, we 
must say to foreign nations, ``As we open our markets to

[[Page 1425]]

your goods, you open your markets to our goods.'' The United States can 
compete with anybody, anywhere so long as the rules are fair.
    Congress passed NAFTA, and as a result, Florida's exports to Mexico 
tripled. Two years ago, we passed a free trade agreement with Chile. 
Florida exports to that country have jumped by 40 percent. Now when you 
hear me say, ``Florida's exports,'' that means exports of products made 
in the United States leaving ports like Miami, which creates jobs. 
Exports means work. Exports means vitality at our ports.
    Last year we passed CAFTA. I want to thank the Members of Congress 
who supported me on that important agreement. This port handles nearly 
one-half of all American exports to Central America. And as CAFTA takes 
hold, we can envision more products passing from the United States to 
Central America through the Port of Miami.
    Now, one of the most promising ways to open up new markets for our 
workers and businesses is the Doha round of negotiations at the World 
Trade Organization. See, these talks are important talks. They have a 
chance to break down trade barriers around the world. They have a chance 
to expand the flow of commerce, which is what we want. They have a 
chance to create new jobs and economic growth not only here but 
elsewhere. And they have a chance to help lift millions of people out of 
poverty around the world. These are important negotiations taking place. 
And our Government is strongly committed to a successful outcome of the 
Doha round.
    The problem is, is that some others aren't committed. Recent 
discussions broke down. In order to make sure that they don't break down 
permanently, I asked Trade Representative Susan Schwab to continue to 
work with her counterparts, to continue to discuss ways for the United 
States to be flexible, particularly on agricultural subsidies, and for 
our counterparts to be flexible when it comes to achieving fairness when 
it comes to trade.
    We'll do everything we can to get Doha back on track. That's what 
the people in this port who rely upon the export of goods must 
understand. We understand how important exportation is to the Port of 
Miami. We understand how important trade is for the economy of the 
United States. And so Susan Schwab now has been in Brazil recently, and 
will continue talking with other trade ministers. Completing the Doha 
round is going to demand tough choices. We're willing to make those 
choices, and others nations should as well. This is a once-in-a-lifetime 
opportunity to jump-start global trade and create opportunities around 
the world.
    In order to make sure this country continues to remain strong, we 
must also ensure that America welcomes new immigrants, people who add to 
our prosperity. See, we can be a nation of law and a welcoming nation at 
the same time, and we don't have to choose.
    Of all the places in our country, Miami understands the importance 
of the contribution that the newly arrived can make to a society. Jeb 
and I just went and had a little coffee at Versailles, which reminded me 
of the important influence that those who have fled oppression at home 
can make to our society. It's so hopeful when people who escape 
repression come to the land of the free and embrace that freedom. We 
welcome the Cuban influence in the United States of America. We 
understand that people flee oppression and poverty and seek a better 
life. We understand the Haitians who have come here to seek freedom. We 
understand that this is the land of opportunity, and for millions, Miami 
is the first stop toward realizing their dreams.
    To keep the dream alive, we must have comprehensive immigration 
reform. We must be logical about the approach we take to immigration. Of 
course, we want to enforce our borders. The Coast Guard works hard to 
enforce our borders. We got hardworking people on the Mexican border 
working hard to enforce our borders. And we'll provide more Border 
Patrol agents. And we'll provide new technologies to help those working 
hard. But in order to enforce the border, we have got to recognize that 
people are sneaking in here to work. The best way to enforce the border 
is to have a rational way for people who are doing jobs Americans aren't 
doing to come to this country on a temporary basis so they can realize 
their

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dreams. We need a guest-worker program as part of a comprehensive 
reform.
    There's a lot of document forging going on. See, we got people being 
snuck across in 18-wheelers; we got people walking miles across the 
desert because of coyotes or smugglers. There's also a lot of people who 
forge documents. It's hard for an employer to know whether someone's 
here legally or not. That's why we need to have a document that can't be 
forged and faked. So people say, ``I'm here for a temporary basis to 
work. I'm here legally to do a job Americans aren't doing''--and that 
way we'll be able to have better worksite enforcement. It's against the 
law for somebody to hire somebody who is here illegally. In order to 
make sure that those laws work, we need to have tamper-proof documents 
in the hands of people applying for work.
    Fourthly, it is unrealistic to think that we should give automatic 
citizenship to people who've been here illegally. That's not going to 
work. It basically says, fine; then the next wave of people will come to 
try to become--get automatic citizenship. Amnesty is not the right 
approach. But neither is trying to remove the 10 or 11 million people 
who've been here illegally. Deportation is not going to work. What must 
work is a rational middle ground that says, you can pay a fine; you can 
learn English; you can prove you've been a lawful citizen; and then you 
can get in the citizenship line--but at the back of the line, not the 
front of the line.
    And finally, we'll continue to work to help people assimilate into 
the United States. We want people learning English. We want people 
learning our history and our traditions. We're going to work hard to 
make sure we're one Nation under God. Rational immigration policy is 
possible, and it's important for Members of the United States Congress 
to work toward a comprehensive immigration plan.
    Finally, I want to talk a little bit about what we're doing to 
secure this country. You got to understand, we're still a nation at war. 
I fully understand why the American citizens would hope there is no such 
thing as war. I know that. I know that people don't like to be reminded 
about the fact that there's still an enemy that lurks and plots and 
plans. But it's my job, a job that I really understood clearly on 
September the 11th. My job is to rally the Federal Government and to 
work with State and local government to protect you. It's the most 
important job of our Government, is to protect the American people. And 
so we work hard to--I work hard to remind people that there's still a 
war going on. But I also assure them that we're doing everything we can 
to bring the enemy to justice and to secure the homeland at the same 
time.
    And one of the most important parts of securing our country is 
securing our ports. Port security is one of the top priorities of our 
Government. Since September the 11th, we've provided $700 million in 
grants to enhance physical security at our ports, and the Port of Miami 
received about $25 million of those grants. We understand the important 
the Coast Guard plays to port security, and so we've increased funding 
for the Coast Guard by almost $2.9 billion.
    We're using technologies to protect this country of ours, such as 
state-of-the-art x-ray and gamma-ray scanners to screen cargo and 
containers. We launched what we called the Container Security 
Initiative, which is to identify and inspect suspicious cargo at foreign 
ports before they depart for America. In other words, doesn't it makes 
sense for us to inspect product and cargo overseas, before they're 
shipped here? That's what we're doing. We've got a smart policy about 
how to protect our ports. And we'll continue to work with Port 
Authorities and custom officers and immigration agents and the Coast 
Guard and Jeb's office and local folks to do our duty, to do the duty 
the American people expect--which is, to the best of our ability, 
protect the United States against further attack.
    I want you to know that I am optimistic about the future of this 
country. I'm confident that we're going to win the war on terror, 
because I understand that our vision of freedom, our belief in liberty, 
is more powerful than the ideology of hatred that the terrorists 
espouse.
    I believe this economy will remain strong if we leave hands in the--
if we leave people's money in their own hands so they can save, invest, 
and spend. I believe in the entrepreneurial spirit in America. I believe 
in our

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workers. I believe in our small-business owners. I believe that when 
people can dream and do and accomplish, our society is better off. I'm 
confident that the values of the United States will remain strong, 
because I understand the character of Americans by birth and by choice.
    And so I understand we face a lot of challenges, but I believe this 
country can overcome those challenges. And I want to thank you for 
letting me come to the Port of Miami to discuss some of the challenges 
we face.
    Thanks for your hard work. May God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 10:17 a.m. at the U.S. Coast Guard 
Integrated Support Command. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Jeb Bush 
of Florida; former professional football player Daniel C. Marino, Jr., 
and his wife, Claire; Rear Adm. David W. Kunkel, USCG, district 
commander, Seventh Coast Guard District; Bill Johnson, acting director, 
Port of Miami; Marco Rubio, speaker-designate, Florida State House of 
Representatives; Mayor Carlos Alvarez of Miami-Dade County, FL; Mayor 
Manuel A. Diaz of Miami, FL; and Nelson Gonzalez and Alex Aguila, 
founders, Alienware Corp.