“The question I'm going to ask,” Bush said, “and the question I hope Congress asks, is how best to create jobs. What can you do to encourage economic growth, so that people who want to work can find work?”

He added, “I'm optimistic that 2002 is going to be a better year than 2001.… One thing I will do, after the course of these discussions, and some discussions later on this week, will [be to] put in my budget an economic stimulus package.

“And speaking of that, I hope that when Congress comes back they will have listened to their constituents and that Congress will realize that America, like me, is tired of partisan bickering; that we ought to come together, we ought to unify around some sensible policy, and not try to play politics with tax relief or, for that matter, economic stimulus packages.”

Publication date: 01/07/2002