REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
PRESS
CONFERENCE WITH REP. FRANK LOBIONDO
ATLANTIC CITY,
NJ
AUGUST 23, 2002
12:30
What a generous introduction! Thank you Representative LoBiondo.
Thank you for the ride to get here Admiral Collins, and
thank you for the incredible job the Coast Guard is doing.
To all of our guests, it’s great to be in Atlantic City.
Thanks so much for coming today.
My day has already started out on the right note. Earlier this morning, I was privileged to tour the Federal Air Marshal Training Center, which was very impressive.
There, I not only
saw a remarkable demonstration of skill and marksmanship, but a degree of
professionalism that we are instilling throughout the aviation security system.
I’d like to thank
Tom Quinn, the Director of the Federal Air Marshal program, for doing such
outstanding work.
I have challenged
the entire Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to replicate and build upon this professionalism throughout
aviation security-- from passenger screeners to law enforcement officers.
And, I’m happy to
be here with Representative LoBiondo, an ally of our transportation
security efforts, and a champion of this district. And I’m not just saying that because he is a member of the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure active in aviation issues and
chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.
Our staffs have worked together and great things have come
of it.
Congress passed and implemented the Aviation and
Transportation Security Act, the law that makes aviation and transportation
security, for the first time, a direct responsibility of the federal government.
As a result of this law, I can tell you with great
confidence that transportation security is at its highest levels in the history
of our nation, and we will make it better still in the weeks and months ahead.
We are indebted to you, Congressman LoBiondo, and your
colleagues. We cannot achieve our
goals at the Department of Transportation to make our national transportation
systems safe, secure, and efficient, without congressional support, and the
support and collaboration of our aviation stakeholders.
Today in America, much of the news is centered on the war against terrorism and the growth of our economy.
Be assured, we are addressing these issues at the Department of Transportation .
I want the Atlantic City area to know, that we, at the
federal level, understand that your prosperity is tied to our nation’s
economic stability and growth.
We recognize that a safe, secure, and efficient
transportation system plays a key role in ensuring that your region continues to
thrive.
Just last week, we deployed federal passenger screeners to
one terminal at Newark International Airport, and to all terminals at Atlantic
City International. Soon, we will
be deploying screeners to Trenton-Mercer Airport as well.
This is a reflection of what has been happening, and will
continue to happen, all across the country.
Thanks to the dedication and hard work of Mr. Marcus Arroyo
and Mr. Vincent Amoresano, two of our newly named Federal Security Directors,
and all the other folks at TSA, as well as staffs of the airports and the
airlines serving New Jersey.
We expect to implement the lessons learned here as we
accelerate the pace of deployment across the country, on our way to meeting the
November 19th deadline for placing federal passenger screeners at all
429 commercial airports nationwide.
Now that TSA is responsible for security within airports,
the result will be better training and improved standards, tighter security and
improved customer service.
We are working with state and local law enforcement
officials, airport and airline managers, and other stakeholders to ensure that
the people of New Jersey and all travelers are as safe and secure as possible.
Our goal is world-class security balanced with world-class
customer service. Admiral
Jim Loy, TSA’s Acting Under Secretary, and I, will accept nothing less.
As I stated earlier, many of our goals would not have been
met if we didn’t have the support and leadership of Congressman LoBiondo.
And I know we can count on him in the future as well.
Now, we would like to hear from you. Does anyone have any questions or comments?
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