REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AND SENATOR JUDD GREGG
AT ANNOUNCEMENT OF
COMMERCE SECRETARY
Grand
Foyer February 3, 2009
10:59 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning,
everybody. By now, our economic crisis is well-known. Our
economy is shrinking. Unemployment rolls are growing.
Businesses and families can't get credit, and small businesses can't
secure the loans they need to create jobs and get their products to
market.
Now is the time for Washington to act with the
same sense of urgency that Americans all across the country feel every
single day. With the stakes this high, we cannot afford to get
trapped in the same old partisan gridlock. That's why I've worked
closely with leaders of both parties on a recovery and reinvestment
plan that saves or creates more than three million jobs over the next
two years, cuts taxes for 95 percent of American workers, and makes
critical investments in our future -- in energy and education;
health care and a 21st century infrastructure.
We will act swiftly and we will act
wisely. The vast majority of the investments in the plan will be
made within the next 18 months -- immediately creating jobs and helping
states avoid painful tax hikes and cuts to essential services.
And every dime of the spending will be made available to the public on
Recovery.gov -- so every American can see where their tax dollars are
going.
But as we act boldly and swiftly to shore up
our financial system and revitalize our economy, we must also make sure
that the underpinnings of that economy are sound; that our economic
infrastructure is rebuilt to handle the traffic of the global economy;
that our cutting-edge science and technology remain the envy of the
world; that our policies promote the innovative and competitive nature
of this economy, and facilitate the incubation and commercialization of
our startups and small businesses -- the very engine of our job
creation.
These are the tasks of the Commerce
Department. And I believe that Judd Gregg is the right person to
help guide the department towards these goals.
Judd discovered the family business at an
early age. His father, Hugh Gregg, was elected the youngest
governor of New Hampshire when Judd was a boy. At a time when the
mills in Nashua closed down and folks were laid off, he watched his dad
work tirelessly to attract new industry, the kind that created jobs
that carried with them a sense of dignity and self-worth. Judd's
father even found the time to publish a book titled, "All I Learned
About Politics" -- and in keeping with his legendary sense of humor,
all of its pages were blank.
When the book is written about Judd Gregg, it
will tell the story of a man with his own proud record of service on
behalf of the American people. As a businessman, attorney, state
executive councilor, congressman, governor in his own right, and now as
a senator, he's seen from all angles what makes our economy work for
communities, businesses, and families -- and what keeps it from working
better. As former chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Judd has been
involved in nearly every facet of public policy. And as Commerce
Subcommittee chair on the Senate Appropriations Committee, he's already
quite familiar with the department I've chosen him to lead.
Judd is famous -- or infamous, depending on
your perspective -- on Capitol Hill for his strict fiscal
discipline. It's not that he enjoys saying "no" -- although if
it's directed at your bill you might feel that way -- it's that he
shares my deep-seated commitment to guaranteeing that our children
inherit a future they can afford.
Clearly, Judd and I don't agree on every issue
-- most notably who should have won the election.
(Laughter.) But we agree on the urgent need to get American
businesses and families back on their feet. We see eye to eye on
conducting the nation's business in a responsible, transparent, and
accountable manner. And we know the only way to solve the great
challenges of our time is to put aside stale ideology and petty
partisanship, and embrace what works.
As one of the Republican Party's most
respected voices and skillful negotiators, Judd is a master of reaching
across the aisle to get things done. He'll be an outstanding
addition to the depth and experience of my economic team, a trusted
voice in my Cabinet, and an able and persuasive ambassador for industry
who makes it known to the world that America is open for business.
"Commerce defies every wind, overrides every
tempest, and invades every zone." These are the words carved into
the walls of the department that I'm so pleased Judd Gregg has agreed
to lead. And as we act boldly to defy the winds of this crisis
and outride the tempest of this painful moment, I can think of no finer
steward for our nation's commerce. I expect the Senate's quick
confirmation of their esteemed colleague, and I look forward to working
with Judd in the years ahead.
And I'd like Judd to say just a few words.
SENATOR GREGG: Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you very much, Mr. President, and thank
you for taking this rather extraordinary step of asking me to join your
administration as Commerce Secretary.
We are, as you noted, in the middle of a very
difficult economic time. People are worried about their
jobs. They're worried about how they're going to pay their
bills. They're worried about how they're going to send their kids
to college. And you've outlined an extraordinarily bold and
aggressive, effective and comprehensive plan for how we can get this
country moving.
This is not a time for partisanship.
This is not a time when we should stand in our ideological corners and
shout at each other. This is a time to govern and govern
well. And therefore, when the President asked me to join his
administration and participate in trying to address the issues of this
time, I believed it was my obligation to say yes, and I look forward to
it with enthusiasm.
The Commerce Department is a -- has a broad
and interesting portfolio, as the President outlined, but its primary
goal must be to create jobs by promoting industry, promoting economic
activity, and promoting excellence in science. And I intend to
pursue those avenues aggressively.
I want to especially thank my wife, Kathy, and
my family for encouraging me to do this and being willing to stand by
me as I take on another effort in my career. And I also want to
thank the Governor of New Hampshire for his courtesy and courage in
being willing to make this possible through the agreement that we have
relative to my successor in the Senate.
Again, Mr. President, I thank you for choosing
me to participate in this effort. Let's go out there and get this
country moving. Thank you.