    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [April 10, 1991]
    [Pages 355-357]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Swearing-In Ceremony for Patricia F. Saiki as
    Administrator of the Small Business Administration
    April 10, 1991

        The President. Good afternoon, Secretary Martin and distinguished
    friends from the United States Congress. And of course, a special
    welcome to the members of Pat's

    [[Page 356]]

    family with whom I just met. And it's a pleasure to have you all here
    for this very special occasion. And it's also a pleasure--the business
    at hand--to welcome a good friend on board as this nation's new
    Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
        Pat Saiki will be bringing her own spirit of aloha to this job. And
    for those who don't know what I mean, just watch. Watch how she does
    over there. You talk about enthusiasm and ability, you're going to see
    it all, all at once.
        I'm pleased that she's going to be heading up the SBA because small
    business is so vitally important. Small business--the heart of our
    country's economy. In the 1980's, small business produced two out of
    every three new jobs. But more importantly, they're the heart of the
    American dream. The SBA was founded to encourage that spirit and that
    belief in our ability to make our dreams come true.
        Owners of small businesses show the rest of America the way. And
    they've seized control of their own lives, made their own choices, made
    their own decisions. And over 20 million men and women across the U.S.
    today are running their own small businesses--20 million pieces of the
    American dream. Pat Saiki's going to be their advocate, their tough,
    smart advocate.
        I know her, and I know she'll throw her whole energy and dedication
    into this challenge because Pat will be responsible for more than
    administration and policy development. She's going to have the chance to
    help people shape their own futures. She'll do this by expanding SBA's
    role in providing start-up guidance; by concentrating on business
    opportunities for minorities, women, and veterans; by focusing on
    outreach.
        Pat will be a dynamic champion of small business. She's got the
    strong background for it. She's been a board member of a big company--
    Hawaiian Airlines, of AMFAC, one of Hawaii's largest companies with
    extensive small business interconnections. And she received the
    Congressional Guardian of Small Business Award.
        In public service, Pat's proven herself as an effective
    administrator of can-do optimism. This former teacher and assistant
    Republican leader in her State legislature became the first Republican
    elected to the House from Hawaii. And now she'll bring to the SBA
    stellar House committee experience ranging from banking and finance to
    consumer interests.
        During her two terms in the Congress, I admired her bipartisan
    approach to getting the job done, watched her build consensus. She's
    smart, and she's direct, and she moves government forward.
        Pat's also a fiscal conservative. As a matter of fact, her efforts
    against waste in government made her a two-time winner of the Golden
    Bulldog Award. I like that image. [Laughter] It kind of captures her
    personality--but nevertheless, tenacious--[laughter]--dedicated. I mean,
    tenacious, dedicated--[laughter]--protective, honest.
        But Pat comes from a land that showed the world how men and women of
    varied backgrounds can tie their destinies together in common cause. And
    I know she's going to help show all of us how we can work together, can
    use our exuberant diversity to make this nation the best place it
    possibly can be.
        Aloha, Pat. Welcome and congratulations. And now on with the formal
    part of the service here. All right.

    [At this point, Administrator Saiki was sworn in.]

        Administrator Saiki. Thank you very much. Mr. President, Justice
    O'Connor, Governor Sununu, my congressional colleagues, all of my
    friends, my family, aloha.
        I have been very fortunate to have faced many challenges in my
    lifetime. But by far this opportunity to serve my President and my
    nation is the greatest challenge of them all. And I thank you, Mr.
    President, for the privilege.
        The small business community, made up of aspiring entrepreneurs,
    risk-takers with the same pioneer spirit which made our nation great,
    deserve encouragement and recognition as we move into the 20th century.
        Your encouraging remarks, Mr. President, I know will be appreciated
    by all those men

    [[Page 357]]

    and women who truly believe that ours is still the nation of
    opportunity. I shall do my best to deserve your trust and faith and earn
    the confidence of those I shall serve.
        I want to especially thank my dear husband, Stanley; my mother; my
    father; all of my children--my entire family--for sticking by me all
    these years. And there have been ups, and there have been downs, but I
    know they will be with me again as we embark on this new and exciting
    journey.
        Mr. President, I thank you very much for making this all possible.
        The President. Thank you all very much for coming. And again to the
    family, our respects; I'm delighted. And I didn't pay my respects to
    Justice O'Connor--which is an oversight of enormous proportions--
    [laughter]--but I know Pat and I are both just honored that she would be
    here for this special occasion. Thank you, Sandra.
        All rise, thank you all.

                        Note: The President spoke at 2:17 p.m. in the
                            Roosevelt Room at the White House. In the
                            ceremony, the following persons were referred
                            to: Secretary of Labor Lynn Martin; Sandra Day
                            O'Connor, Associate Justice of the Supreme
                            Court; and John H. Sununu, Chief of Staff to the
                            President.