REMARKS
FOR
THE
HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION
OSDBU
ANNUAL MED WEEK 2001 AWARDS CEREMONY
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
OCTOBER
25, 2001
Good afternoon. Thank you
Joe for that welcoming introduction. And I
also thank you and all of our colleagues in the Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization for sponsoring today’s Annual Minority
Enterprise MED Week 2001 Awards Ceremony.
I am honored to be here
today to help recognize some of the people in business and in government who
have achieved so much this year in embracing businesses of all types. We have
much work to do, but thanks to people like you, we have opened our arms wider to
disadvantaged businesses.
We are here this afternoon
to pay tribute to minority and women entrepreneurs who have made significant
achievements in their businesses and vital contributions to the transportation
industry. And we are also recognizing procurement officials and minority
business advocates who have set exemplary standards of conduct while doing
business with the Department of Transportation.
The MED Week Awards
Ceremony provides DOT with an opportunity to illustrate the impact of minority
and women owned businesses and their advocates on America’s economy. One of
the Department’s strategic goals is to encourage economic growth by increasing
participation of minorities and women in the DOT procurement process.
Administrators and senior
officials are present here today to honor the achievements of this select group
of awardees who successfully contribute to America’s transportation systems.
Thank you for your participation this afternoon and for your strong support
throughout the year.
As we come together today
to recognize DOT’s MED Week 2001 award recipients, I hope you will also join
me in recognizing the talents and contributions made by millions of Americans
with disabilities as we commemorate “National Disability Employment Awareness
Month.”
Through
economic growth and trade initiatives, the Department of Transportation
continues to be at the forefront of President Bush’s efforts to expand
contracting opportunities for all small businesses, including those owned by
women, minorities and disabled veterans.
Transportation
is key to generating and enabling economic growth, in determining the patterns
of growth, and in determining the competitiveness of our businesses in the world
economy.
And
transportation is vital to both our economic success and to our quality of life.
Small business entrepreneurs are part of that success and will continue to
provide vital contributions to our country's economic health and well being.
In the past three years,
DOT has awarded more than $3 billion in contracts to small, women owned and
disadvantaged businesses. This represents over 56% of DOT’s total contracting
dollars.
Fiscal year 2001’s
numbers are not yet final. But, information available through August indicates
that small, women owned and
disadvantaged businesses received over $873 million or 51 percent of the
Department’s contracting dollars. Let’s keep up the good work.
As Secretary of
Transportation, I will continue to
implement programs and initiatives that ensure equal participation of minority
and women entrepreneurs in transportation-related contracting and procurement
opportunities.
Much work remains ahead of
us, but we are closer than we ever have been, thanks in large part to the people
being honored here today.
During this time of
America’s struggle against terrorism, we will not give up our dreams.
Minority- and women-owned businesses are shining examples of the American spirit
and resolve, and it is essential that we continue to work together as OneDOT, in
partnership with hardworking and determined Americans like the ones recognized
here today.
And so to all of you, I
say, “Thanks A Million.”
Thank you for doing your jobs well. We applaud your outstanding efforts
and we honor you today.
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