[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 94 (Wednesday, May 15, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 22041-22042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10257]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 84 , No. 94 / Wednesday, May 15, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 22041]]


                Proclamation 9883 of May 10, 2019

                
National Defense Transportation Day and National 
                Transportation Week, 2019

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                The capability to move and travel freely and 
                efficiently by land, air, and sea is critical to our 
                economic strength, vital to our national defense, and 
                essential to the American way of life. On National 
                Defense Transportation Day and during National 
                Transportation Week, we recognize the dedicated 
                professionals who ensure our transportation 
                infrastructure system is safe, convenient, reliable, 
                and fully prepared to support our national defense.

                America's infrastructure systems help sustain our 
                competitive edge and military readiness. After many 
                decades of constant and increasing use, much of our 
                Nation's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair. More 
                than 25 percent of our Nation's bridges are 
                structurally deficient; more than 20 percent of our 
                roads are in poor condition; and drivers lose nearly 
                $160 billion annually because of congestion and delays. 
                If left unaddressed by 2025, our Nation's deteriorating 
                infrastructure will drain our economy of nearly 2.5 
                million jobs and $4 trillion in gross domestic product.

                As a Nation, we cannot afford to wait additional 
                decades to address these critical issues and fix our 
                transportation system. Our country forged its path to 
                global economic dominance through an efficient and 
                hard-nosed determination to build. In 1933, we summoned 
                our most gifted engineers and workers to construct the 
                Golden Gate Bridge; they finished it in 4 years. Three 
                years earlier, in 1930, construction began on the 
                Empire State Building; it took about 1 year to 
                complete. Decades of bureaucratic and regulatory 
                roadblocks have sapped us of that zeal to build. These 
                self-imposed obstacles regularly stall and delay even 
                the most important of infrastructure projects. The 
                environmental review process for some improvement 
                projects can take more than 20 years to complete.

                Improving our infrastructure will enhance quality of 
                life, productivity, and the competitiveness of American 
                workers and families. For this reason, I have called on 
                the Congress to pass legislation that provides the 
                funding required to rebuild our roads and bridges. 
                These funds will catalyze new State and local 
                investments in infrastructure, and focus resources on 
                rural communities. By repairing our existing 
                infrastructure and by building bold new projects, we 
                will reduce traffic congestion, improve road 
                conditions, and boost commerce throughout our country.

                We cannot fully tackle our infrastructure needs until 
                we commit to meaningful regulatory reform. Last year, 
                we made important strides by establishing a coordinated 
                and timely environmental review process through the One 
                Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding. This 
                policy sets a Government-wide goal of completing 
                Federal environmental reviews for major infrastructure 
                projects in 2 years--not 10 or 20. We will move more 
                quickly, ensuring sound environmental, community, and 
                economic outcomes in the process.

                Finally, maintaining and improving our infrastructure 
                is a matter of economic and national security. It is 
                central to our ability to manufacture and export

[[Page 22042]]

                goods, execute emergency responses, achieve energy 
                independence, and secure our Nation. It sustains our 
                military readiness and capabilities, facilitating the 
                safe and expeditious movement of our troops and the 
                transport of their supplies and equipment to locations 
                in America and around the world. Our men and women in 
                uniform deserve to be safe and well-stocked as they put 
                their lives on the line to defend our freedoms and way 
                of life.

                To recognize the men and women who work in the 
                transportation industry and who contribute to our 
                Nation's well-being and defense, the Congress, by joint 
                resolution approved May 16, 1957, as amended (36 U.S.C. 
                120), has designated the third Friday in May of each 
                year as ``National Defense Transportation Day,'' and, 
                by joint resolution approved May 14, 1962, as amended 
                (36 U.S.C. 133), has declared that the week during 
                which that Friday falls be designated as ``National 
                Transportation Week.''

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim Friday, 
                May 17, 2019, as National Defense Transportation Day 
                and May 12 through May 18, 2019, as National 
                Transportation Week. I encourage all Americans to 
                celebrate these observances with appropriate ceremonies 
                and activities to learn more about how our 
                transportation system contributes to the security of 
                our citizens and the prosperity of our Nation.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand 
                nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States 
                of America the two hundred and forty-third.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2019-10257
Filed 5-14-19; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F9-P