[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

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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

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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.