REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY - SANDY K. BARUAH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - CITY OF BREMERTON, WASHINGTON

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2006

AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

Congressman Dicks, thank you very much for that introduction and for your invitation to be here today.

Before I begin, please allow me to make a few brief introductions. I’m up here today taking the credit for work done by the Commerce EDA team, and I’d like to acknowledge my EDA colleagues who are here with me this morning. EDA’s Chief of Staff James Yeager, Jacob Macais of EDA’s Seattle Office, and of course Len Smith EDA’s Regional Director for the Seattle Region.

I’d also like to thank Mayor Cary Bozeman of Bremerton for his hospitality this morning. Mr. Mayor, it is my pleasure to be in your fine town on this “good news day” for Bremerton, Kitsap County and beyond.

Let me also thank U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell for being here today. The Senator and I have had a good visit this morning and I appreciate her graciousness and her commitment to service.

Of course, we are here today in Congressman Norm Dick’s hometown of Bremerton. Congressman Dicks is the classic example of the hometown boy does good. I know the residences of this area are as proud to have Norm Dicks as their Congressman as Congressman Dicks is proud to represent them.

Congressman, thank you for your leadership and for your strong commitment to your hometown and the economic development project we are celebrating here today.

I am proud to be here representing President Bush and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez. Of course, today is a bi-partisan day here in the State of Washington. With the Senator, the Congressman and me here today, we are experiencing something that is often far too rare in Washington, which is the two parties coming together for a common purpose – and economic development is something that both parties should be coming together on.

The one thing I’ve learned in my time serving President Bush is that economic development work best when it is driven at the local level.

• When the focus is on local priorities.

• When a strong public-private partnership exists, and the government leaders involve and are on the same page as the local business leaders.

• When development plans are developed in a collaborative fashion, and

• When local public and private investment dollars are the driving force behind development activities.

Of course, the Federal Government can help. And one of the things that the Federal Government can do is help build a strong national economy to provide the context in which local folks tackle their individual economic development challenges. In this regard, there is good news at the national level:

• 5.2 million new jobs in last 24 months.

• 4.8% unemployment rate – at or near “full employment.”

• 13% increase in real – inflation adjusted – wages since 2001.

• Consumer confidence is at a 4-year high.

And we’ve had..

• 17 straight quarters of solid economic growth.

But even with a strong national economy, not all areas of America are fully participating in the American dream, and this is where, working with local leaders, the Federal Government can help.

Areas like Bremerton and Kitsap County that have seen their fair share of economic challenges, need several things in order to make their economic development plans a reality:

• A strong strategic plan.

• An understanding that all priorities can’t be accomplished at once, and need to be prioritized.

• Close collaboration and commitment from the private sector, and

• A willingness to make strategic investment decisions and tough choices.

Of course a little help from the Federal Government can’t hurt. And today, I have the distinct pleasure to formally announce that the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration will invest $3 million in the City of Bremerton to help support the redevelopment of the marina district as an integral component of this region’s economic revitalization plan.

Secretary Gutierrez and I share high hopes for this project, and look forward to it creating 400 good jobs in this area – which is good news here locally, but also good news because projects like this will support our growing and healthy national economy.

With that, let me invite Congressman Dicks, Senator Cantwell, Mayor Bozeman and Commissioner Mary Ann Huntington to join me for the presentation of the investment award.

On behalf of President Bush, allow me to congratulate you on this important milestone. I look forward to hearing of the great things this Federal investment will spur.

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