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REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
NORTH AMERICA’S SUPERHIGHWAY COALITION TRANSPORTATION FORUM
FORT WORTH, TX
APRIL 30, 2004
8:20 AM
Thank you, Congressman Burgess, for that kind introduction. As a freshman Member
of Congress, you are doing a terrific job, especially on the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.
And thank you all for that very, very warm welcome.
And let me just say, Mayor Moncrief, that the hospitality here in Fort Worth is
truly “Texas style.”
It’s always a pleasure to travel to the Lone Star State. My most memorable trip
was on January 2, 2001. It was a whirlwind tour. My wife, Deni, and I flew to
Austin with Vice President-elect Cheney and were immediately taken to the
Governor’s Mansion.
Andy Card was standing on the steps, and President-elect Bush about ten feet in.
We talked for about two hours, had lunch. then about 2 PM, he announced that I
was his choice to be the next Secretary of Transportation. And so, I love my
Texas experience.
And it has been a terrific experience being a member of the Bush Administration,
and working with a President who knows exactly where he wants to lead this
country. When it comes to our economy, President Bush’s top priority is creating
more jobs for Americans who want to work.
Last month, our growing economy created 308,000 new jobs – the most in a single
month in four years – bringing the total to almost one million jobs added since
just last August.
President Bush is keeping America on track for a more prosperous future with his
commitment also through international trade.
And it will not be news to anyone in this room that our top two trading partners
are our northern and southern neighbors, Canada and Mexico.
NAFTA has opened the doors to expanding and flourishing trade across our
borders. Since its implementation, total U.S. trade with Mexico has increased
almost 200 percent – with 70 percent of the U.S./Mexico trade passing through
Texas.
There are, however, some things that we still need to do in the United States to
fulfill our obligations under the NAFTA treaty. One of them is to finally open
the market between Mexico and the United States for trucking and busing.
A lawsuit has blocked implementation of this country’s commitment to allow truck
travel across our borders, despite our commitment to safety and a level playing
field.
As you may be aware, the Supreme Court heard arguments on this case last week.
We may see a decision as early as June – a decision that I am hopeful will be
favorable. If we get a green light, the Bush Administration is prepared to act,
with hundreds of safety inspectors standing by and modern inspection facilities
in place.
And to our friends from Mexico who are here today, I say, “Welcome, and get
ready.” Opening the border is of mutual benefit. It will bring greater
efficiencies in transportation so important in the competitive global
environment. And it will bring robust opportunities for American companies, more
jobs for American truckers, better deals for American consumers, and expanding
activity along our trade corridors.
I know that the members of NASCO are gearing up. And your efforts are very
important not only locally, but also to the national – and global – economies.
Indeed, I want to congratulate NASCO President Sandy Jacobs and the Superhighway
Coalition for your leadership. You recognized the promise of this expanding
trade relationship with our NAFTA partners early on.
You also recognized that the success of the NAFTA relationship depends on
mobility – on the movement of people, of products, and of capital across
borders.
The people in this room have vision. Thinking ahead, thinking long-term, you
began to make aggressive plans to develop the NASCO trade corridor – this vital
artery in our national transportation system through which so much of the NAFTA
traffic flows.
It flows across our nation’s busiest southern border crossing in Laredo; over
North America’s busiest commercial crossing, the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit;
and through Duluth, and Pembina, North Dakota, and all the places in between.
Like the Siouxland.
Tuesday, I met with representatives of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce who
were in Washington, D.C. from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. They shared some
of their plans along the I-29 portion of the NASCO corridor.
One of the things that they were most interested in – as I am sure that you all
are – is the federal surface transportation bill now before Congress.
You will forgive me if I sound a little frustrated. The reauthorization is
already seven months past the original deadline, and this week the Congress
passed a third, temporary extension. This is a stop-gap measure. And while we
are glad not to be forced to furlough federal employees and stop funding road
projects, it is no way to run programs that are so vital to the economic health
of our great Nation.
So Mike, please take a message back to your colleagues. This needs to be the
last extension.
We need a six-year bill, one that allows States and local communities to plan.
Another extension or bill with a short fuse will bring us back to the drawing
board too soon to make long-term investment plans in the communities.
You hear a lot about the debate over funding levels. President Bush is insisting
on a fiscally responsible bill that we can afford – one that doesn’t place new
burdens on the taxpayers, doesn’t mortgage our future, and doesn’t take money
away from critical priorities.
But that is only part of what is involved. The Bush Administration’s
reauthorization bill – the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient
Transportation Equity Act (or SAFETEA) – makes fundamental changes in the way
America invests in its transportation infrastructure, changes that can help you
develop your corridor.
We have strategic initiatives to develop and support multi-state public and
private partnerships to improve freight flow, especially at international
gateways and along multi-state trade transport corridors.
We split the Federal Highway Administration’s Corridors and Borders Program and
refocused the new programs on planning. The Corridors program is designed to
encourage multi-state and multi-modal planning. The Borders program will
encourage bi-national planning to enhance improvements at our land border
crossings.
The Administration’s bill gives your communities more flexibility, more say over
where your highway and transit dollars go. These critical investment decisions
should not be dictated from Washington, D.C. Earmarked pet projects and pet
programs tie the hands of state and local officials. Instead, we need to empower
your local leaders to address local transportation needs.
SAFETEA places new focus on the intermodal connections between our roads, ports,
railways, and airports – critically important links in the international trade
network.
Our bill will allow you to better leverage your transportation dollars by taking
advantage of innovative financing and public-private partnership options.
There is an example right here in Texas that I use to illustrate the principles
of intermodalism and innovative financing – the Trans-Texas Corridor.
This state is a clear leader in finding new ways to work with the private sector
to meet important transportation needs, and the U.S. Department of
Transportation is pleased to partner with Governor Perry and the state of Texas
on this plan.
SAFETEA is designed to encourage this kind of bold thinking to make sure that we
have a transportation network that will keep the American economy moving. Our
economy depends on the smooth flow of people and goods through our borders and
across this great Nation. And working together, we can make a strong
transportation system a reality.
Thank you for the invitation for me to be here to share some thoughts with you.
And may God bless each and every one of you and may God continue to bless the
United States of America.
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