The so called Secretary of U.S. Labor Elaine Chow was the keynote speaker at the LULAC National Convention. Some highlights of this Secretary of Labor, here to serve the American people.

"It is this Administration's policy that all workers are protected by our nation's health, safety and wage laws β€” regardless of their status.

Another key program, which I launched, is the Hispanic Worker Initiative. The goal is to help Hispanic American workers improve their English proficiency and gain the skills required in rapidly growing industries.

An important collaborator in this effort is one of LULAC's sister organizations, SER β€” Jobs for Progress National, Inc. SER's President and CEO Ignacio Salazar is here today.

SER is a strategic partner in many job-related efforts. In February, SER successfully competed for a $1.1 million grant from DOL to fund a work-based English skills program in Texas. This program will prepare more than 2,400 Hispanic workers for careers in the hospitality industry.

Amidst this economic backdrop, President George W. Bush deserves a great deal of credit for confronting a very emotional and challenging policy issue facing our nation β€” proposing comprehensive immigration reform.

I want to thank LULAC for working with this Administration on this issue. You are an important part of the coalition supporting a comprehensive approach to immigration reform. The President is committed to comprehensive reform. The President recognizes that strengthening border security and a credible, enforceable temporary worker program are mutually dependent. They are both necessary to protect our homeland, to honor our nation's tradition of the melting pot, and to meet the legitimate needs of our nation's economy. The President is continuing to work with members of Congress to reach a consensus on a bill that addresses our immigration challenges."

FULL SPEECH: http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/speeches/ ... _lulac.htm