[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[May 17, 1991]
[Pages 518-519]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Signing the Proclamation Commemorating National Defense 
Transportation Day and National Transportation Week
May 17, 1991

    Good morning, fellow travelers. [Laughter] It's really great to see 
you all here, representatives of every sector of the transportation 
industry: road and rail, sea and air. I feel guilty walking to work from 
over there--[laughter]--with all this talent here. But Sam Skinner, our 
very able Secretary of Transportation, I salute you, sir, and thank you 
for your leadership on the issue. I salute the distinguished senior DOT 
officials who are with us. And all our special guests, let me just say, 
welcome to the White House.
    Among the many changes that shaped this country, transportation has 
really been in the lead. And your industries--your trucks, trains, 
ships, and aircraft--link all 50 States and, as we've seen recently, 
dramatically link America to the world beyond. For this year, events far 
beyond our shores remind us that civil transportation sustains not 
simply a strong economy but an America strong enough to defend its vital 
interests halfway around the world.
    From the first days of Desert Shield to the final moments of Desert 
Storm, each of your industries made possible the most intensive military 
lift since the Second World War. More than 4 million tons of dry cargo, 
6 million tons of fuel, thousands of troops moved across America and 
halfway around the world.
    As President, let me say that every sector of the civil 
transportation system--road, rail, sea, and air--contributed to the 
success of Desert Shield and then Desert Storm. And that contribution 
didn't stop when combat began. Every American shares my pride in our men 
and women in uniform.
    But today I want to thank the pilots and the crew of nearly 90 civil 
aircraft that flew support missions during Desert Storm, the civilian 
crew members who served at sea, and all the civilian heroes in the 
transportation sector who pushed the limit and ventured into harm's way 
to get the job done. And how well they did it.
    I mentioned a moment ago the connection between transportation and 
America's international competitiveness. And that's why back on March 
6th, in my address to the joint session, I challenged Congress to act on 
the urgent issues facing the Nation. And I focused, not simply on 
critical crime bill--that one, which we really want to

[[Page 519]]

have--but on transportation. And I said to Congress then, if our forces 
could win the ground war in 100 hours, then surely Congress can pass 
this legislation in 100 days.
    And the clock has been ticking. And our transportation bill, thanks 
to Sam and many of you in this room, has made some headway in the 
Senate. I'm informed that the House is beginning now to move on this, 
but there's still a long way to go to get a satisfactory bill. And I 
don't have to tell you that 16 blocks between this house and the two 
Houses of Congress can be a long, long trip--long road in American 
politics. So now's the time to move a sound transportation bill out of 
the Congress and onto my desk. And today as we mark the special 
significance of transportation to America's economic welfare and 
international security, I ask each one of you: Please join us, join the 
Secretary, join me, in urging Congress to rise to the challenges and act 
now.
    And once again, it is my pleasure to welcome you all here to the 
White House. And I will now sign these proclamations declaring National 
Maritime Day, National Defense Transportation Day, and National 
Transportation Week. And then I would like to suggest to those outside 
of what is known as the White House complex that I walk out of here into 
the Oval Office, and I'd like each one of you, if you have time, to come 
by and shake hands and at least say hello and see my magnificent office.

                    Note: The President spoke at 10:18 a.m. in the 
                        Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his 
                        remarks, he referred to Secretary of 
                        Transportation Samuel K. Skinner. The 
                        proclamations are listed in Appendix E at the 
                        end of this volume.