Ritter’s remarks at stimulus bill signing in Denver

From the governor’s office, here are the remarks as prepared for delivery by Gov. Bill Ritter, who introduced Vice President Joe Biden before President Barack Obama took the stage Tuesday afternoon at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science:

Good afternoon. I’m Bill Ritter, Governor of the great state of Colorado.

It’s my distinct honor and privilege to welcome the President and the Vice President of the United States to Denver, Colorado, for this historic bill-signing.

Two months ago, I joined governors from all across America at a meeting in Philadelphia with then-President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden. They wanted to hear from us about how the economy was hurting people in our states … how families were struggling, how children had been impacted by the downturn.

For governors, this was really encouraging — new leaders solving problems by building new partnerships and coming up with new solutions.

They asked, they listened, and they included our ideas for short-term job-creation and long-term economic growth in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Mr. President, thank you.

Thank you for the millions of jobs that will be created by investing in transportation, energy, and other infrastructure projects.

Thank you for investing in vital safety-net services like health care and unemployment insurance.

Thank you for investing in education, research and innovation.

And thank you for believing in the promise of Colorado to help lead our nation forward.

There’s no better place for this signing ceremony than right here in Colorado — home of the New Energy Economy.

Two years ago, Colorado started building a New Energy Economy — creating new jobs, building new wind farms in wheat fields, and making our universities research leaders in renewable and alternative energy.

The New Energy Economy is very much about creating a new energy future. But it’s also about creating new economic opportunities. It’s about creating sustainable jobs so parents can keep food on the table, so they can send their kids to college, so they can afford health care. It’s about creating a new economic future for all.

Companies like Namaste Solar are at the heart of the New Energy Economy. When Colorado voters became the first in the country to pass a Renewable Energy Standard in 2004, Namaste didn’t even exist.

Today, Namaste has 55 employees. They built the solar array on top of this museum, and they installed solar on the Governor’s Residence.

There are hundreds of New Energy Economy businesses like Namaste employing thousands of people all across Colorado.

The President’s recovery package will drive the New Energy Economy forward not just in this state, but all across America — creating jobs, reducing the cost of energy for families, and moving our nation closer to energy independence.

This is how we rebuild America. This is how President Obama’s recovery package will get the economy moving again. This is the promise of a better tomorrow.

It is now my privilege to introduce a great friend to the great state of Colorado, someone I’ve long admired for his commitment and dedication to public service, the Vice President of the United States, Mr. Joe Biden …

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