[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
[April 7, 1993]
[Pages 416-417]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing Enabling Legislation for the National Commission to 
Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry
April 7, 1993

    Today I am signing into law H.R. 904, a bill providing for 
appointments to the ``National Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive 
Airline Industry.'' I am pleased to have the opportunity to join with 
the Congress so quickly in the new session in this effort to gain a 
fuller understanding of the difficulties facing the Nation's aviation 
industry--both airlines and aircraft manufacturing.
    The recent experience of the aviation industry has not been good. 
Unemployment in the airline industry has reached record levels over the 
past few years. The backlog of new orders for aircraft has shrunk, 
leading to unemployment in the aircraft manufacturing industry as well. 
When I visited the Boeing Corporation in Everett, Washington, managers 
and employees alike described the personal impact of these developments.
    The issues facing the industry have an international dimension. In 
recent remarks at the American University here in Washington, I stressed 
that our Nation is ready to compete in the world economy fairly and 
squarely. In our bilateral and multilateral aviation negotiations, my 
Administration will promote fair competition in international trade and 
airline routes.
    I asked Secretary of Transportation Pena to join with the Congress 
to develop a process for addressing the industry's problems, and I am 
pleased by this strong bipartisan result. The aviation industry is 
important not only to our economy, but (as Operation Desert Storm 
demonstrated just 2 years ago) to our national defense as well. The 
information and recommendations developed by the Commission will assist 
us in building a consensus from the many competing views on how 
government and industry can best work together to address the aviation 
industry's current difficulties.
    I am pleased that this legislation accelerates the deadline for the 
Commission's report. I have asked Secretary Pena, working with the rest 
of the Cabinet, to do everything possible to get the Commission up and 
running quickly. I look forward to receiving the Commission's report 
within 90 days after appointments to the Commission are completed.
    I note that the House Subcommittee on Aviation has already begun to 
assemble a record of the relevant issues during its hearings in 
February. With concerted effort by all parties, this

[[Page 417]]

Commission can provide valuable, timely answers.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,
April 7, 1993.

Note: H.R. 904, approved April 7, was assigned Public Law No. 103-13.