REMARKS
FOR
THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
READY
RESERVE FORCE 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
ABOARD THE CAPE WRATH
PORT
COVINGTON, BALTIMORE
OCTOBER 18, 2001
11:00 AM
The
Port of Baltimore is the perfect setting to mark this milestone in maritime
support of our nation’s security. It
is the birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner, which today is proudly sung
throughout the land with renewed fervor.
It
is home to the SS John W. Brown, one of only two surviving Liberty Ships from
World War II, and now a museum to honor the many who served our nation.
And
today, the Port remains a center of commerce for the Free State, generating
nearly $2 billon in economic benefits.
I
want to welcome our sealift partners with us today, Rear Admiral David L.
Brewer, Commander of the Military Sealift Command; Rear Admiral Edward
Fahy of the US Transportation Command; Capt. Timothy Brown,
International President, Masters, Mates & Pilots; Michael Sacco,
President, Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, and President, Seafarers
International Union; Richard T. duMoulin, Chairman, President & CEO
of the Marine Transport Corporation; and Paul Cammaroto, Chief Engineer
of one of the great ships that stand at the ready in service to our nation, the
Cape Wrath. Thank you for your
continued commitment and support of our strong maritime partnership.
It
has been said that times of crisis bring out the very best in any community, in
any Nation. And that has certainly
been true in America over these past weeks.
The
events of September 11th have saddened and angered our nation, but
these brutal attacks of terror cannot – will not – break the spirit of the
American people. More than ever before, we are a nation resolved to move
forward, to rebound, to rebuild. We will not let the evil of terrorism reign.
President
Bush said in his remarks to the families and friends of those who perished at
the Pentagon, “Our cause is just, our nation is strong of
heart, firm of purpose. Inspired by
all the courage that has come before, we will meet our moment and we will
prevail.”
Indeed,
the American people will prevail because of capable men and women like those
here today, men and women who believe in the principles on which this great
nation was founded – freedom, liberty, democracy.
For
25 years, our nation’s Ready Reserve Force has been at the ready to aid in the
defense and protection of those principles. And
we – a grateful nation – thank you and honor your outstanding service today.
In
it’s first real test of military readiness, the RRF more than proved its worth
to our nation during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm – the most
concentrated military lift exercise in American history.
The
Cape Henry and the Cape Inscription – the first RRF ships to
arrive in Saudi Arabia – along with their sister ships, helped ferry nearly
one quarter of the 3.2 million short tons of dry cargo needed to support allied
forces in the Persian Gulf.
And today, the RRF remains ever at the ready to support rapid, massive movement of military supplies and troops anywhere in the world.
In this time of national crisis, no RRF ships have been activated to date, but they and their crews are mission capable and ready to support any surge sealift requirements when called upon.
This readiness would not be possible without the support of a strong public private partnership between government, industry and labor.
While
the RRF began with an agreement between MARAD and the Navy, it has matured into
a partnership that relies on the American maritime industry and American labor
to serve our nation’s defense. It is a partnership that has grown stronger over the
years, and today is more effective and more productive than ever.
The key to the RRF’s success is its use of experienced American ship operating companies which manage the ships, and the skilled and dedicated professionals from maritime labor organizations who crew them.
The RRF has served America well. President Bush and I are proud of your accomplishments, confident of your capabilities, and determined to give you the tools to continue your exemplary record of service and success.
To that end, the Department of Transportation and its maritime partners are working together to ensure that the RRF continues to have what it needs to maintain readiness.
The Department is also working to assist the Congress with its effort to craft legislation that will enhance the security of our nation’s ports and maritime borders.
Time and time again, our nation’s merchant
marine, maritime industry, and merchant seafarers have responded to America’s
call. I am confident that they will
do so again, whether tomorrow, next week, next year, or in the distant
future.
Finally,
I want to congratulate and thank the past and present employees of the Maritime
Administration for their stellar efforts in service to our nation, especially
today, in support of the Ready Reserve Force program.
To all of our sealift partners, congratulations on 25 years of exemplary service to our nation. We thank you and we salute you.
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