REMARKS
FOR
THE
HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION
CHICAGO
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
CHICAGO,
IL
JUNE
18, 2002
6
PM
Thank
you for that introduction, Sam. It's
good to see you again. And my
thanks also to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations for sponsoring this
event and for inviting me to give you an update on the Department of
Transportation’s security efforts.
Let
me begin by addressing President Bush’s announcement last week to create a
Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security.
Our
Commander-in-Chief proposes to draw several existing agencies into this new
department, including the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Customs, the
Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- and from DOT -- the
Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA.
I
fully support the President’s plan and am committed to working with my
colleagues in the Administration, and with the Congress, to realize the
President’s vision of how we can best accomplish our mission.
The
security of the United States is – and must always be – the paramount
mission of our government. Nothing
should ever stand in the way of providing Americans with the best possible
defense against our enemies.
Meanwhile,
as this discussion continues and Congress considers the options, all Americans
should rest assured that the Department of Transportation, the United States
Coast Guard, and the Transportation Security Administration will remain at the
ready, and sharply focused on our primary duties – to keep our vital national
transportation system safe, efficient and secure.
Today,
I can say with great confidence that transportation security is at its highest
levels in the history of our nation, and it will be higher still in the weeks
and months ahead.
Now,
with that said, I would like to talk about what exactly we have been doing at
the Department of Transportation.
Over
the past 12 years, the U.S. Department of Transportation has spent more than
$400 million on the research, development, testing and evaluation of advanced
technologies for aviation security.
In
doing so, we are building upon the foundation laid by Secretary Skinner with his
April 1989 initiatives to improve aviation security worldwide after the
terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
We
now have explosives detection equipment for checked and carry-on bags, access
controls, and computerized training systems, to name just a few.
In
the aftermath of the attacks of September 11th, we have accelerated
our efforts to deploy these devices throughout our own national aviation system.
We firmly believe that the judicious application of advanced technology
provides a cornerstone of improved aviation security.
Without
a doubt, the United States entered
a new era in transportation after the horrific terrorist attacks of September
11th. But we do not face this
challenge alone. More
than 80 countries lost citizens in the destruction of the World Trade Center and
the attack on the Pentagon.
In
the past, America worked almost unilaterally to ensure air safety.
For example, America has always assessed airport security for all foreign
airports with direct flights to the United States.
In
our post-September 11th world, we have more help and support from the rest of
the world. Now, we are working with
the United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organization to develop an
audit program to assess the security measures in effect at international
airports worldwide.
The
United States remains committed to actively participating in bilateral and
multilateral programs. Terrorism is
a global threat.
We must prevent terrorists and other criminals from ever again targeting
civilian aircraft, or using them as weapons of mass destruction.
By working together with all nations, we can accomplish this goal.
We
at the Department of Transportation have had some very visible tasks with very
short deadlines mandated by Congress when it comes to air security.
Not the least of which is the federalization of airport screeners and the
installation of explosives detection devices in every airport.
Though
we had to focus much of our early resources on air transportation, we
have not lost sight of our obligations to maritime and surface transportation.
Prior to the Transportation
Security Administration’s creation, we at the Department of Transportation
were looking at security in all modes of transportation. Within weeks of the terrorist attacks, I created the National
Infrastructure Security Committee, also known as NISC.
Each of the six original committees focused on a different mode of
transportation.
It
quickly became clear that we needed to look at some issues from a multi-modal
point of view. To do this, we
created separate working groups to address transportation worker credentialing
and container security.
We
are now in the process of developing an identification card for all
transportation workers. This card,
using smart card technology, will serve to control access to secure
transportation facilities.
Our
interagency container working group is tasked with improving the security of the
six million marine containers, eleven million cross border trucks, and two
million cross border rail cars that enter the United States each year.
Co-chaired with the U.S. Customs Service, this group has more than 150
representatives from various federal agencies as well as representatives from
the private sector.
Clearly,
these are not projects we can do alone. It
has been a great experience to work with the international community, as well as
all of our domestic partners and stakeholders.
It has been a privilege and an honor to work with so many people whom we
can call friends and allies of America.
Security
is not just a goal of the Department of Transportation; it is a national goal
that all of us in the Bush Administration are committed to reaching.
Thank
you, again, for inviting me here today. Now
I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.