REMARKS
FOR
THE
HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION
U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WORKFORCE
RECOVERY CONFERENCE
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
THURSDAY,
JANUARY 10, 2002
10:00
AM
Thank you
Secretary Chao for that warm welcome. Secretary
Evans. Deputy Secretary (of Labor)
Findlay. Deputy Mayor John Koskinen.
And welcome to everyone here today.
I am
pleased and grateful for the opportunity to join you in showcasing this
administration's commitment to helping reinvigorate the nation's economy, and
for specifically helping those workers who have lost their jobs in the wake of
the September 11th attacks.
And I
particularly want to salute Secretary Chao for bringing this Workforce Recovery
Conference together. As Elaine has
aptly pointed out, this event demonstrates – in a practical and compassionate
way – President Bush’s commitment to America’s workforce during this
challenging time.
The
American way of life and the American worker relies on transportation.
A safe and secure transportation system is crucial to our nation, not
only economically, but socially as well.
And there
is no denying that the tragic events of September 11th had an impact
on our nation’s air travelers, and
so many dedicated individuals within the aviation community – airline flight
attendants, pilots, maintenance workers, security personnel, the aircraft
manufacturing sector, and everyone who makes our system work.
The
terrorist attacks against America also affected our other transportation
constituencies as well - those who depend on rail, waterborne and all forms of
ground transportation for their livelihoods.
The
creation of the new Transportation Security Administration within the DOT will
work hard to return public trust and confidence in the nation’s entire
transportation system.
For
instance, the new agency will be directly responsible for creating a new federal
airport security force, an expanded Federal Air Marshall program, deployment and
creation of new screening technologies, administrative and support staff, and
high-tech researchers, as well as a host of other new improvements in aviation
security.
To do
this, we will need to hire 30,000 new federal employees beginning immediately.
Of course,
looking beyond aviation, there is much the Department of Transportation can do
to help our dislocated workers by reinvigorating the economy and reconnecting
them to the workforce.
Whether it
is increased spending for road projects, increased maritime and rail traffic,
reliable metro systems, we at the Department of Transportation want to help.
Thank you
very much for the opportunity to be with you here today.
Together, we will recover, and we will become a stronger nation for it.
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