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Remarks Prepared for Delivery for
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Fraternal Order of Police Convention
New Orleans, LA
Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Thank you for that kind introduction, President Canterbury [National President,
Fraternal Order of Police].
I want to thank you, and all the members of the Fraternal Order of Police,
for the opportunity to speak to you this morning. It's a pleasure to work with
you, with your executive board, and with Executive Director Jim Pasco.
Before I begin, I also want to give a big hello to my home state delegation
from Kentucky!
Congratulations on the FOP's 57th Biennial National Conference! The FOP has
been a friend to President George W. Bush, to the Department of Labor, and
you have helped keep our country strong over these past four years. And I am
here to say “thank you.” Thank you for keeping our communities safe. Thank
you for protecting our homeland. And thank you for supporting the war on terror.
So much has happened since we last met in Providence, Rhode Island in 2003.
The economy has continued to strengthen and grow. We have seen 25 straight
months of job growth with a total of 3.7 million new jobs created since May
2003. The unemployment rate has fallen to a low 5%, and more Americans are
working than ever before.
This Administration has strengthened overtime rights for law enforcement.
Police officers are often called upon to work long hours and take double shifts.
That is why, when the Department of Labor began the long overdue process of
updating the nation's overtime rules, your needs were a priority. Thanks to
the constructive engagement of the Fraternal Order of Police in the rulemaking
process, the right to overtime for police was clearly protected and strengthened
in the new overtime rule.
In fact, contrary to some naysayers who said that people would lose overtime,
we have found that more workers have actually become eligible for overtime
protection. I am hearing stories about police officers who were previously
exempt from overtime protection and now qualify for overtime protection. That's
great news for the men and women of law enforcement!
The Department of Labor and the Fraternal Order of Police have also worked
together to help the spouses of fallen officers through the Steve Young Memorial
Scholarship program. I know how well you take care of your own and the Department
is proud to be part of this effort. 52 spouses have been assisted so far. The
Department of Labor initially committed $2 million to help spouses of fallen
law enforcement officers provide for their families and build new careers.
I have heard so many inspiring stories of the wives of fallen officers, who
have been able to rebuild their lives because of your support. Women like Paula
Spearman of Abita Springs, Louisiana who has been given personalized counseling
to help her plan a career that will provide for her family. Patricia Vasquez
of Tomball, Texas, who is pursuing a master's degree in accounting, thanks
to your program. And Kimberly Burgert of Sayre, Pennsylvania, who despite
her great loss has answered the call to care for others and will train fellow
nurses. Your scholarship program has achieved so much that last Fall, I announced
an additional $1 million commitment from the Department of Labor to this worthy
program.
The commitment of your members to serving others is also reflected in your
strong support of our men and women in the armed forces. As you know, they
put themselves on the line every day to defend our country's freedom and protect
our security. Last year, I had the great privilege of visiting in Iraq with
President Chuck Canterbury and Executive Director Jim Pasco. We visited with
our troops and were so impressed with the resolve and courage of the men and
women we met. They know their mission is noble. And they know that they may
be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow soldiers and
for their country. While they are doing the tough, difficult work of securing
the country, they are also helping to build civil society in Iraq through so
many good works.
For example, our delegation visited an orphanage that had been completely
refurbished by our troops. Vulnerable young children who formerly had little
hope now have food, clothes, shelter, toys and are getting an education thanks
to our brave men and women in uniform. The amazing thing about this project
is that it was initiated by our troops on their own, after a unit of soldiers
found a small boy wandering around the streets with no home and no parents.
They not only rebuilt that orphanage, they started a program to rebuild all
the orphanages in Baghdad. And they created a non-profit organization and
trained Iraqis how to run it, so the orphanages could thrive after they left.
It reminded me of the boys and girls clubs and other community services that
you, our law enforcement officers, sponsor in every community across this country.
During our visit to Baghdad, President Caterbury and I officially launched
the new Baghdad Employment and Training Center. It is part of the new Iraqi
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Under Saddam Hussein, the Labor Ministry
operated the prison system. Can you imagine that? Saddam Hussein used his Labor
Ministry as his prison bureau. The Labor Ministry now helps Iraqis find jobs
and leaves the prison system to the Justice Ministry.
We also visited the Baghdad Police Academy. President Canterbury and I were
both very impressed by the resolve of the recruits. You understand so well
the dangers that they face every day and the sacrifices they are making to
try and bring stability to their country.
They helped protect the eight million Iraqis who defied terrorists and voted
in their first election as a free nation. How can anyone ever forget the inspiring
sight of Iraqis displaying the ink on their fingers as a badge that they voted?
Since those elections, the Iraqi people have continued making strides by establishing
a Transitional National Assembly. And they are currently drafting their nation's
constitution based on freedom and democratic principles. The process is not
without its setbacks and challenges. But it is remarkable what they have been
able to accomplish in such a short time.
As we fight the terrorists in Iraq, this Administration is resolved to keep
our guard up here at home. You are doing your part to secure the borders, the
ports, and our vital infrastructure. However, we have seen that the digital
age brings new targets since Web sites and company networks are critical components
of global commerce. The threat that hackers and cyber-terrorists pose to our
economy is new, but no less dangerous than the terrorists of the physical world.
To maintain the level of security that we need in today's world, the men and
women responsible for providing that security must have the skills and ability
to protect us from the emerging threats.
And there are challenges to building this expertise beyond teaching the appropriate
skill sets. These include the extensive clearance process, the ability to attract
and retain talented individuals, and the difficulty in anticipating demand.
For all of these reasons, I am pleased to announce today that the Department
of Labor is adding Homeland Security to the high growth industries demanding
the focus and attention of the federal government. This is a Presidential initiative,
administered by the Department of Labor, which helps develop the talent needed
for growth industries. And as part of this initiative, the Department will
dedicate $10 million to train workers for careers
in homeland security. Through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative,
the Department of Labor will work with state and local governments and the
private sector to train our future leaders in this growing industry. For the
sake of our country, we must ensure that there is a corps of men and women
with the skills needed to excel in securing the homeland.
The Department of Labor will launch this initiative in the Fall. Competitive
grants will be awarded to demonstrate the best ways to address the unique workforce
challenges of homeland security. Working closely with the Department of Homeland
Security, our goal will be to build the skilled workforce required to track
terrorists and protect our nation.
Finally, I want to tell you how much this Administration appreciates what
you do everyday for our country. The President understands the danger that
you deal with each day. It has been said that you have one of the toughest
jobs, and that rings true even more so today. It falls to you, to keep our
neighborhoods safe not only from those who seek to do us harm, but from those
who seek to undermine our freedoms and way of life through terrorism. That's
why you—our men and women in blue—are heroes to so many Americans. Many of
us were gratified to see that, after 9/11, your contribution to our country
has become even more appreciated. Our country is forever indebted to you for
your selflessness and patriotism. So on behalf of President George W. Bush,
and a grateful nation, thank you for your service to our country and for keeping
us safe.
May God bless each and every one of you. And May God bless America.
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