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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of
Labor Elaine L. Chao
Acceptance of the Honorary Doctor of Law Degree
from Fu Jen Catholic University
Washington, D.C.
Thursday, November
6, 2003
Your Eminence Cardinal Shan, President Lee, Dean Lee, Senator
McConnell, Dr. Feulner and other distinguished guests:
It is with a great sense of honor and humility that I receive this
honorary degree from Fu Jen Catholic University, an institution of higher
learning that is respected worldwide. I want to thank His Eminence Paul
Cardinal Shan and Dr. John Ning-Yuean Lee for traveling halfway around the
world to bestow this honor upon me. My experiences of being a newcomer to a new
community have always stayed with me and I have always striven to promote
opportunity and advancement for others. Today's honor is further encouragement
for me to pursue this goal.
Fu Jen Catholic University has a long tradition of educating the whole
person-both intellectually and spiritually. By pursuing truth, goodness, beauty
and holiness, Fu Jen Catholic University is a shining beacon to young people
everywhere. You encourage students to do their best and to use their talents
and skills to serve others. For this reason, I am especially honored to receive
this distinction today.
As His Eminence, Cardinal Shan, and President Lee noted in their
remarks, I have tried to honor my parents-Dr. James Chao and Mrs. Ruth Chao,
who are with us today-by following their example of courage, sacrifice and
compassion in everything I do. I'm also pleased that my sister, Angela, is able
to join us as well.
My father came to America from Taiwan when I was a young girl, and my
mother, my sister and I joined him when I was eight years old. America offered
my family abundant opportunities and boundless freedoms, for which we will be
forever grateful. It was challenging to adapt to a new culture and a new
language, but we will never forget those who helped us along the way.
It was a Catholic university-St. John's University in New York-that
provided my father the opportunity to pursue higher education in the United
States. Like Fu Jen Catholic University, this distinguished Catholic
institution believes that character, as well as the credentials, are important
to succeeding in life. This deep faith enabled St. John's to reach out and
provide my father an opportunity that was key to building a new life in
America.
As I pursued my education and entered the world of work, the values of
my parents inspired me to contribute to our society in whatever I did.
While I was Director of the Peace Corps, the Agency brought the message
of hope and opportunity to people of the developing world and the former Soviet
Union.
As President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Way of America,
my goal was to rebuild trust in its leadership so this venerable American
charitable organization could continue to serve those in need.
And when President George W. Bush appointed me Secretary of Labor, I
felt privileged to have an opportunity to make a difference … to give
something back to the country that has given my family so much. As Secretary of
Labor, I strive to help others improve their skills and gain financial
independence so they can realize their dreams and build brighter futures for
their families.
The honorary degree you confer upon me today recognizes the importance
of that mission … of investing in people in order to create hope and
opportunity.
As Secretary of Labor, I want to raise awareness of the challenges that
workers face in the 21st century. The information and technology
revolutions have impacted the way every industry is organized and how we work.
Only a few decades ago, it was commonplace for workers in the United States to
spend their entire lives with one or two organizations. They were either
"management" or "labor." They had inflexible work hours and when they turned
60, they retired and took the company pension.
Today, all that has changed. The lines between labor and management have
blurred. More and more people work away from the office, in flexible working
arrangements, connected by nothing more than a laptop, a cell phone or a
Blackberry. As a result, the average American worker will change jobs nine
times before they reach 34 years of age.
For America, a flexible, skilled workforce is critical to maintaining
our high standard of living and a competitive advantage in today's globalized
economy. With this advantage comes the responsibility of preparing ourselves-as
individuals and as a nation-for lifelong learning so we can move forward as the
world changes around us.
President George W. Bush hopes to achieve that goal with a plan that
invests in people and emphasizes the 3 E's: Employment, Education and Economic
development.
Under his leadership, the Labor Department is striving to help cultivate
an economic environment in which job creation can flourish.
We are building strong partnerships with institutions of higher learning
to help equip workers with the skills required in the 21st century
workforce.
And we are connecting our country's publicly funded, $12 billion
workforce training system to employers, who know where the new jobs are and
what skills are in demand.
Over the past two years, the United States has experienced the
devastating attacks of September 11, 2001, and the aftermath that cost our
country more than a million jobs. Then America faced a crisis of confidence in
corporate governance and other challenges that impacted businesses
worldwide.
Only a few decades ago, any combination of these factors might well have
caused a severe contraction in the American economy, and negatively impacted
the world.
But because of our freedom and resilience-and because of the spirit and
faith of our people-America has weathered these storms and more.
Thanks to the leadership of President George W. Bush, the American
economy is showing encouraging signs of economic and job growth. We owe much of
our resiliency to the flexibility and skill of the American workforce.
It is a precious asset to be nurtured and protected. That is a key part
of my mission as Secretary of Labor.
Those of us entrusted with the leadership of institutions in democratic
societies, however, know that values and character are integral parts of the
free enterprise system.
The free enterprise system is unique because it is built upon trust. For
free enterprise to function smoothly and benefit all people, the public must
have confidence in its institutions and its leaders. And confidence requires
character.
That's why educational institutions such as Fu Jen Catholic University,
which strive to instill in its students an integrated value system that
stresses high moral standards, are so important.
You recognize that for freedom to flourish, character must count.
I am proud to serve in the Administration of President George W. Bush,
who understands how important character is to strong leadership.
His principled leadership, deep faith and strong moral values are an
inspiration to all of us who serve him and the American people.
I would also like to mention another strong leader who has been so
important in my life-my husband, the Assistant Majority Leader in the United
States Senate-Senator Mitch McConnell. Throughout his career, Mitch has
demonstrated that it is possible to be a political leader who is both effective
and principled. I am grateful for his support and love.
And finally, let me thank Dr. Ed Feulner, President of the Heritage
Foundation, an organization known for promoting hope and opportunity in a free
society. I'm so pleased he could join us today and I thank him for his gracious
remarks.
Let me conclude by noting how important the traditional Asian values of
filial piety, hard work and respect for others have been to my career. These
values are like treasured friends, who have assisted me in making the most out
of the abundant opportunities this country offers and in becoming an effective
instrument in helping others.
So let me, once again, thank His Eminence Paul Cardinal Shan, President
Lee, Dean Lee and Fu Jen Catholic University for conferring upon me this
honorary doctor of law degree. And I wish to thank my parents, my husband, Dr.
Feulner and so many others whose support has been so important to me during my
career.
I am the beneficiary of two great cultures-American and Asian-and I am
fortunate to have events such as this one to help me cherish the strengths of
both.
May God's blessing be upon us all!
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