REMARKS
FOR
THE
HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION
AFL-CIO
TRANSPORTATION TRADES EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
OCTOBER
1, 2002
Thank you
Sonny for that generous introduction. Sonny and I have been friends for a very
long time. I want to commend him for his extraordinary leadership and commitment
to a quality transportation system in America.
And thank you
Senator Murray, John Sweeney, friends and everyone here for the invitation to
join you today.
I always
enjoy meeting with the backbone of the transportation industry – the labor
unions – to hear your perspectives on how we can improve our Nation’s
transportation systems.
And I
appreciate the opportunity to speak about the future of transportation and
issues facing the unions, specifically in regards to security and
appropriations.
I would like
to begin my remarks by addressing the current status of operations in our West
Coast ports.
I am deeply
concerned over the breakdown of negotiations between the Pacific Maritime
Association and the ILWU over a new contract.
Estimates of
economic losses resulting from a shutdown of the ports are running in the
neighborhood of $1 Billion per day.
And should this situation continue, we will see a growing ripple effect
in employment in other sectors of the economy.
We also face
an increased disruption of critical supplies to Hawaii and our Pacific Islands
territories and affiliated commonwealths.
I should also
add that, as Secretary of the U.S. Coast Guard, I am concerned about the
potential security hazards of having so many ships at anchor in our nation’s
critical harbors.
The Coast
Guard is working to identify potential risks and ensure the protection of
vessels, but this job grows more difficult as more and more ships arrive.
I am very
grateful that, despite the current situation,
the ILWU and the PMA have promised to rapidly process any military
cargoes. Both sides
have continued to give top priority to our national security and defense needs,
and I appreciate that commitment.
But the
impact on our economy is one that cannot be ignored.
The Federal
Mediation and Conciliation Service and its Director, Peter Hurtgen, are actively
engaged in efforts to bring both sides back to the table and to get the ports
back into operation. I
appreciate their efforts, and I hope that both sides will actively engage with
the FMCS, and each other, to reach a resolution of the current shutdown and
bring the contract to closure.
Quite simply,
neither a lockout, a work slowdown, nor a strike are in the best interests of
the PMA, the ILWU, or the country.
With today’s uncertain economy, the Nation needs this matter resolved
-- and resolved
quickly.
On another
front, let me remind everyone that America is a far different place than it was
a year ago.
Today, our
transportation sector faces a period not only of extraordinary challenge, but
also of extraordinary opportunity.
The September
11th attacks reaffirmed the critical need for a world-class
transportation system – one that is designed to prevent terrorists from ever
again using our 21st century transportation systems and
technologies as weapons against us.
The challenge
to building this system requires all of us to work creatively and unceasingly
from here on out. And together, we
can, and we will meet this challenge.
As I stand here today, I can
tell you with great confidence that our transportation systems are more secure
today than at any time in our history, and they will become more secure, more
reliable and more efficient in the weeks and months ahead.
The
public’s trust and confidence in our Nation’s entire transportation system
is returning as a result of the creation of the Transportation Security
Administration within DOT.
During
these short months, I am pleased to say we have made tremendous strides in
standing up this new agency.
To date, in
our Nation’s airports, we have hired over 32,000 screeners and bag handlers,
and we have placed thousands of them at more than 142 of our busiest commercial
airports.
Today,
more than a million and a quarter travelers will pass through airports with
Federalized checkpoints per day.
And
we have named 148 Federal Security Directors who will be responsible for nearly
400 airports.
We still have
lots of work to do with this agency but we realize that, as TSA progresses and
investigates our security needs, we will inevitably face issues that we’ve
never had to face before.
One such
issue is whistleblower complaints by security screeners.
We want to
make sure that all TSA employees, including our security screeners, feel free to
make disclosures without fear of retaliation. That is exactly why our screeners
will have whistleblower protection.
TSA’s
leader, Under Secretary, Admiral James Loy, will do everything in his power to
act on the Special Counsel’s recommendations and maintain the integrity of
airport security.
The
Department of Transportation will in no way tolerate retaliation against hard-
working security screeners who have the courage to report wrongdoing.
I assure you
that as we strive for Nationwide consistency in the application of reasonable
and prudent security measures, we will continue to take local concerns into
account.
While much of
the recent media attention has focused on aviation safety, the Department of
Transportation, through TSA, the Coast Guard,
and our other operating administrations, are developing heightened
security procedures and awareness across every mode of transportation including
maritime, rail, highways, transit, and pipeline.
This brings
me back to a key piece of our transportation security effort – securing our
Nation’s ports and maritime transportation system – a very high
priority for the Bush Administration and for the Department of Transportation.
Maritime
commerce is the most dominant component of our international trade
infrastructure, carrying over 95 percent of the volume of U.S. overseas foreign
trade.
With roughly
360 seaports, our maritime border consists of nearly 95,000 miles of open
shoreline, 25,000 miles of navigable channels and more than 3.4 million square
miles of exclusive economic zones. Our Nation’s maritime system is a vital
transportation link and presents one of our greatest security challenges.
We are
working with the Congress to develop comprehensive maritime security
legislation.
But as this
Administration explores security options at our Nation’s ports, we know there
are issues, which, will require ongoing study. Credentialing and container
security comes to mind.
That is why
we have created two working groups on these issues.
It is
important that we address these issues so that we can get back to business as
usual — moving the American public and America’s goods in a safe, timely and
cost-effective way.
So, what does
this mean for the Transportation Trades Department and all of your members?
It means that
we will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of you, our frontline
transportation workers — and we need your continued partnership in that
effort.
We also need
to make sure that security for other transportation modes matches up with port
security -- it would make no sense
to impose a security system for ports if other modes represent a security gap.
I would also
like to talk to you today about an issue that I know concerns all of us greatly
-- the future of
intercity passenger rail.
I have never
wavered from the conviction that intercity passenger rail and commuter rail
service are important parts of the
Nation’s transportation system.
Commuter
rail offers people a great alternative for getting to work and plays an
important role in reducing
congestion and protecting the environment.
For many right
here in the Washington, DC, area and in the Northeast corridor, commuter rail is
a Godsend.
I’m also
hopeful that once Amtrak and intercity rail service is reorganized over the
coming years, we will be able to maximize the full potential of that service.
First,
I believe that our intercity passenger rail network must transition to a system
dictated by fundamental economics, and must be based, like all our modes of
transportation, on priorities established through a partnership with state
governments.
As you know,
a number of reform measures for fiscal year 2003 were recently proposed in the
Chairman’s mark on the House Transportation Appropriations bill. We’re
looking at the proposal, but the Committee has not yet finished its work.
The Department is looking forward to working with the Chairman and others
as they continue their deliberations.
And we are
committed to working with the Congress, with states and local governments,
and with other passenger rail stakeholders to establish meaningful,
long-term reforms through the authorization process.
We need an
Amtrak, and a passenger rail policy, that is based on sound business principles.
We are also
working hard to heighten security in the Nation’s bus fleets.
We will take
the necessary steps to protect the passengers who travel on inter-city, and
intra-city, buses each year, as well as the drivers who provide this essential
service and who are also on the front lines in our war against terrorism.
All of us in
the Bush Administration are committed to making sure that the Nation’s
transportation trade workers have a safe and secure workplace today and for a
long time to come — it is important to your members individually, and equally
important to the Nation as a whole.
The
industries you represent are the engines that drive this economy.
That is why
we need your help as we begin the process of reauthorizing the Transportation
Equity Act (TEA-21).
TEA-21 is the
landmark legislation which guaranteed a record $198 billion investment in
surface transportation and was the successor to the ISTEA.
I believe it
is very important that we hear every voice since we are talking about writing a
law that will stand for another six years. We want to build on the successes of
TEA-21 and ISTEA and, of course, add a new, solid layer of security for surface
transportation.
It is not too
late for you to offer your opinions and ideas on how to make our transportation
dollars go farther and to make the entire system more efficient.
I encourage
you and your members to visit our website at www.dot.gov
and provide your input directly to the Department. It’s also a handy way to keep track of comments
written by other stakeholders.
I have asked
our DOT team to ensure active participation by our state and local partners, in
creating this reauthorization proposal
– and, the best time for that involvement is right now.
Every man,
woman and child in our country has the right to expect us to provide a safe,
accessible, affordable and reliable transportation system.
So, thank you
very, very, much for being our partners in achieving this goal.
We owe our very finest efforts to the memories of those innocent men, women and children murdered on September 11, and to the families and friends they left behind.
I know that our goal of providing a world-class transportation system to the American people is shared by the TTD. And working together – I know we will prevail.
Travel
safely. And God bless America.
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