California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday urged Congress and President George W. Bush to continue funding the Boeing plant in California so as to save thousands of jobs.

"We just need Congress to approve the conference committee report with the funding in it which should happen this week, and then it's on to the President for his signature," said Schwarzenegger during a tour of the Boeing plant that produces C- 17 transport planes in Long Beach, about 40 kilometers Southeast of Los Angeles.

"I'm here today to celebrate jobs. The C-17 means 11,000 jobs for California, good jobs that you and your families depend on," said Schwarzenegger to hundreds of Boeing employees.

"I want to thank our entire Congressional delegation in Washington for fighting to keep the C-17 alive. We have all been fighting for this for years. We have been working overtime to keep all of you working," he added.

The governor said his administration has been working with Congress, sending letters and telling them how important this plane is.

"I joined with other governors to push for continued production of these incredible aircraft. And because of that work and the amazing job you do here, it looks like Long Beach is going to continue building the C-17."

A House-Senate conference committee agreed last week to provide 2.1 billion dollars for 10 more C-17 military transport jets, which could delay the Boeing Co.'s decision to end its production at the Long Beach plant.

The company said last month it would take the first steps toward ending production of the C-17 because there were too few ordered to justify production beyond mid-2009.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2006)