U.S. Department of Labor stands ready to assist transition process

Following President George W. Bush's meeting with his Cabinet today on transition priorities, the U.S Department of Labor issued the following statement:

"The Department of Labor takes transition planning very seriously and is preparing to ensure that the upcoming transition is a smooth one. On Aug. 1, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao put in place a transition team comprised of the department's top career officials.

"On Aug. 4, a secretary's order was issued establishing the order of succession for the department and for individual agencies within the department. These career officials meet on a weekly basis.

"For the incoming leadership, the department will provide briefing books on each Department of Labor agency. Careful attention has been given to Continuity of Operations (COOP) and Continuity of Government (COG) planning, as well as the department's responsibilities under the National Response Framework. The Department of Labor recently held a meeting with transition planning team members at the department's Emergency Management Operations Center to brief them on their emergency preparedness roles and responsibilities.

"The department will continue to do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition."

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