Thank you for that kind introduction. I spoke to you last via taped remarks at your annual meeting in September. So it’s nice that today we get to be together in person. Thank you for coming to Washington. It’s a privilege to speak with you about our nation’s economy, what’s going on in Washington and around the country, and then hear from you on the top issues facing your businesses.
Today, I’d like to focus on a few key issues: our economy, workers’ rights, and immigration. These are the big economic issues we’re facing, and I know they’re important to you.
But first I’d like to recognize the Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors for your leadership in the advancement and education of those aspiring to be in your industry. This year more than $100,000 in scholarship money will be awarded by the PHCC Educational Fund to students pursuing a major directly related to the plumbing-heating-cooling industry. We applaud your commitment to helping individuals achieve their dreams. We know that education is the key to America’s future and I applaud your generosity and commitment.
Let me start by giving you some facts about the strength of our economy: Tax relief is among the efforts we can take to create an environment for our economy to keep growing. Tax cuts helped to lead us out of recession post 9/11. It’s time for Congress to make tax relief permanent as the President has asked.
Another priority is prying open new markets overseas. One of the big reasons our economy is doing well is because we’re competing and winning in the global economy.
Free trade agreements are the engine for that export growth. They create additional opportunities for American workers, farmers, businesses and consumers. U.S. exports to countries with FTAs implemented under the Bush Administration have grown faster than our exports to the rest of the world.
Pending FTAs with Colombia, Korea, Panama and Peru will increase our exports and improve market access for American exporters. We look forward to working with Congress to pass these free trade agreements and extend trade promotion authority, so that we can continue our record-setting pace for exports.
Another issue of concern is the effort to do away with secret balloting when workers vote to form a labor union.
The House already passed the so-called “card-check” legislation. We believe this bill short-circuits worker rights. Secret balloting is a right workers have had for 50 years. If the bill is sent to the President, he will veto it.
So, expanding trade and protecting worker’s rights are two of our top agenda items in Washington. However, there is one issue which is front and center across the nation and I know it is important to you. And that is immigration.
I believe immigration reform is the most important domestic social issue of our time, and I know it is an issue of utmost importance to your industry.
Immigration reform has been on President Bush’s agenda since the day he took office. But because we now have a tightening labor market that is affecting industry after industry, state after state—the entire country is feeling the impact.
I’ve been traveling across the country, talking with business and community leaders, and for many, immigration is their biggest problem.
Comprehensive immigration reform is no longer a question of if, but when. The mood in Congress and across the country has shifted. People want action at the national level. And they want it sooner, not later. The President listened and has asked for a bill this year.
Secretary Chertoff, members of the White House staff and I are working closely with Congress to pass immigration reform. And like President Bush, we are optimistic about the chances for reform this year. The American people want this problem fixed. They want practical, workable solutions.
We believe there are three keys to a successful plan: First, we must continue to focus on national security. We must secure our borders and implement a system to tell us who enters our country, and who is already here.
The good news is that Congress and the American people see that our enforcement efforts are serious, and that they are working.
We’ve heard that the prices “coyotes” charge to smuggle people across the border have skyrocketed. That’s a very clear sign that border security is working.
It will be a disincentive for people to come across that can’t get one, or don’t have one. We don’t want people risking their lives to come to this country. Without this card, they won’t be able to get a job in the U.S.
Secondly, immigration is crucial for our economy to grow in the years ahead. Today, immigrants make up 15 percent of our labor force. And they account for nearly half the growth in the labor force (since 1996).
In your industry: And the problem is getting worse. The demographic trends are against us: I’m confident that we will.
Many advanced economies face declining populations and struggle to assimilate immigrants. Immigration can be our competitive advantage.
We’re a nation of immigrants. We have a history of making immigration work. We know how to do it.
What we need is a legal immigration system that can adjust to the changing demands of our economy. It must take into account the labor shortage, the need for seasonal workers all the ebbs and flows of a large free-market economy.
The third goal of comprehensive immigration reform is American unity. This means it must have bi-partisan support in the Congress.
We are a society governed by the rule of law. We shouldn’t reward unlawful behavior. But the mass deportation of 12 million people is not a solution. Neither is amnesty. I am convinced we can strike this balance.
We need a solution that brings workers out of the shadows and into the mainstream. We need a solution that is both viable and workable.
The American people will not tolerate a one-sided bill. They want us to find common ground. They want us to do what’s good, and what’s right, for our nation.
In closing, let me just say that these issues—immigration reform, workers' rights, tax relief, trade—are all vital to our nation’s ability to retain its global leadership position. And we know that they are important to you and your industry.
So continue to be vocal about your concerns. The Association of Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Contractors have a proud 124-year history of working closely with government on many, many issues. Be vocal about the policies that are working, and how we can continue to have a pragmatic, practical approach.
Thank you.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
