Remarks in a Discussion on the Welfare to Work Program in Chicago, Illinois May 13, 2002
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May 13 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 I established with President Putin in Slo- NOTE: The President spoke at 8:32 a.m. on venia. the South Lawn at the White House, prior This is good news for the American peo- to his departure for Chicago, IL. In his re- ple today. It’ll make the world more peace- marks, he referred to President Vladimir ful, and put behind us the cold war once Putin of Russia. and for all. Thank you all. Remarks in a Discussion on the Welfare to Work Program in Chicago, Illinois May 13, 2002 The President. Thank you all very much Force One. I announced this morning at for that warm welcome. Mr. Mayor, I’m the South Lawn of the White House that honored to be in your presence. This man we’ve reached an agreement with Russia is a great mayor of a great city. I’ve learned on a treaty that will substantially reduce one thing: I’d rather have him for me than our nuclear weaponry, so that we can enter against me. [Laughter] And the good news into a new era of relations with Russia. is, he is for the people of Chicago, and I can’t wait to explain it to you, Mr. Chair- that’s important, Mr. Mayor. man, and I appreciate your support. Michael, thank you very much for having I want to thank Judy Biggert for being us here. We’re honored to be able to come here. Judy, thank you for coming. I appre- and to talk about how to make America ciate Mark Kirk as well for coming. Thank a more compassionate and better place for you, Congressman. Jerry Weller—thank all people. you, Jerry. I appreciate you being here. Fi- I want to thank Rodney Carroll, who is nally, the attorney general of the State of the president of the Welfare-to-Work Part- Illinois, Jim Ryan—thank you, Jim. nership, for being here. He has helped re- I want you to know that we’re here to cruit thousands of businesses across the talk about how to make America better. country, which have employed over 1.1 mil- Before we talk about that, I want to remind lion citizens who were formerly on welfare, you of one thing: My job is also to make who are now independent and free to real- sure America is safer. And the best way ize their dreams. Rodney, thank you for to make America safe is to not only have your leadership. I want to thank my two a homeland security strategy that will sup- new friends who are here, with whom we’ll port our mayors and our police and fire be discussing their lives and how important and EMS teams all across America; but work is for the future of their family. to make America safe, we’ve got to hunt I want to thank members of the congres- these killers down one by one and bring sional delegation who are joining us today: them to justice. Senator Peter Fitzgerald—thank you, Peter, And much to the chagrin of the enemy, for coming. Congressman Rod we are a united country. The security of Blagojevich—thank you, Rod, for being America has nothing to do with our polit- here. The chairman, Henry Hyde—thank ical parties; it has everything to do with you, Mr. Chairman. I’m glad you’re here. doing our jobs. We are a united nation; I’m looking forward to flying back to we are a patient nation. And we’re plenty Washington with the Chairman on Air tough when it comes to protecting that 784 24 2004 10:45 Jul 26, 2004 Jkt 193762 PO 00000 Frm 00784 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193762A.XXX 193762A Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 / May 13 which we hold dear. And what we hold And that’s what we’re here to talk about, dear is freedom, and we’re not going to as we reauthorize the welfare bill. It is es- let anybody get it. sential that a central component of that I can’t imagine—I can’t imagine what bill be work. We must set high standards. was going through the mind of those peo- Over the next 5 years, the States, and work- ple. They must have thought we were so ing with the local governments, ought to materialistic, so self-absorbed that all we place 70 percent of the people on welfare was going to do is maybe file a couple into a job. It is important not only for our of lawsuits. [Laughter] But much to their society; it’s important for the people. Be- chagrin, they realized that we’re tough. But cause as you’re about to hear, a job is such also the world is learning we’re compas- an important part of a person’s dignity, a sionate as well. While we work to make person’s future. the world more secure, we’ve got to make And so one of the things about welfare— the world a better place. welfare to work is, not only do we need And it starts right here at home. Today to encourage businesses to provide a place; I had the honor of meeting Adrienne and we’ve got to encourage States to get after Jerry Welenc. Would you all stand up for it, to provide training and help. Listen, the a second, please? [Applause] These good welfare budget we’re submitting is $17 bil- lion. That’s the same level it was when folks—hold on, don’t applaud yet, until you we had twice the number of welfare cases hear what they’ve done. They have fostered we had to deal with. The welfare rolls have over 90 children over the last 35 years. declined in half, yet the dollars are the These good Americans didn’t need a law; same, which ought to be ample money to they didn’t need a government telling them help people with training or drug treat- what to do. They decided to love a neigh- ment, to give them a chance so that they bor just like they wanted to be loved them- can work and realize the dignity of a job. selves. These good Americans asked the When we reauthorize welfare, let us always question, what could they do to save one remember that a job is a central core to person’s life. someone’s hopeful future. If you want to join the war on terror, I want to make three other points, and help somebody in need. It’s going to be then I promise, Mr. Mayor, I’ll be quiet— hard to do what they’ve done; 90 children for a brief period of time. The best way over 35 years is a fantastic feat. But it’s to help people avoid welfare is education. a fabulous tribute to Americans making the Mr. Mayor, I want to thank you for setting decision to help somebody. We can’t do high standards for the public schools of the it all, but we can help one person at a city of Chicago. Washington doesn’t know time. And as we do so, America will be everything, believe it or not. That may be a more compassionate place. As we work a horrible admission for somebody who hard to defy the evil ones through military lives there temporarily to say. The best way strength, we must also do so with the kind- to help people get off welfare is to em- ness and compassion that define America. power local folks, is to recognize one size I want to thank you all for being here. doesn’t fit all, is to recognize that the more God bless you for your work. options there are at the local level, the And we can continue to make America more opportunity it is for people to suc- a better place by helping people find work. ceed. We can help America be a compassionate, And finally, in order to make sure wel- decent land, where hope can penetrate fare works, we’ve got to welcome faith- places of despair and despondency, by based and community-based programs into helping people find a job. the compassionate delivery of help. We 785 r 24 2004 10:45 Jul 26, 2004 Jkt 193762 PO 00000 Frm 00785 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\193762A.XXX 193762A May 13 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2002 shouldn’t fear faith in our society. We Ms. Kimmons. She’s about to graduate ought to welcome faith. We ought to wel- from the Firefighters Police Academy, to- come the programs that come out of our morrow night at 6 p.m. inner-city churches or synagogues and [The discussion continued.] mosques. Our Government ought to say, ‘‘You ought to be able to access Federal The President. Great job. Thank you very money to help people in need, without los- much, Lupe. ing your mission.’’ In order to make sure I think the—what we’re trying to say that welfare works, not only do you encour- here, most eloquently by these two ladies, age jobs, but we need to welcome those is that in this country, if you give somebody programs that can fundamentally change a chance, they can succeed. Now, it takes people’s lives by changing their hearts. extra help sometimes, and we’ve got to pro- Mr. Mayor, I want to thank you for let- vide that help.