[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book I)]
[April 28, 1994]
[Pages 791-792]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Presentation of the Presidential Awards for Design Excellence
April 28, 1994

    Thank you very much. I'd like to first acknowledge the work of the 
jury, including the chair, Michael Vanderbyl, and the Members of 
Congress who have supported this endeavor, including Senator Pell, 
Congressmen de la Garza, Regula, Swett, and Yates.
    We are here to honor the genius and skill of men and women whose 
work represents the highest level of excellence in American design, 
which consists of more than mere beauty; it is also at its best 
inspirational, enduring, functional and cost-effective. Design, at its 
best, can enrich our lives, beautify our surroundings, improve our 
productivity and performance, and even help to effect social change.
    We see these qualities reflected in Federal design projects all 
across our Nation, from the wonderful monuments here in the Nation's 
Capital, to the simple elegance of Dulles Airport, to the highways of 
the Southwest, the day care

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centers in Baltimore, the secure telephones in Federal agencies, even to 
some of our Government catalogs.
    The Federal Government is the largest purchaser of design services 
in the world. And the designs we commission should reflect not only the 
best artistic execution available but also taxpayers' money well spent. 
Each of the eight projects chosen for the Presidential Awards for Design 
Excellence combine beauty, utility, and economy in a truly unique way.
    The Army Corps of Engineers' novel navigational channel system, 
Bendway Weirs, will save millions of dollars every year on dredging and 
reduce navigational delays along a 180-mile stretch of the Mississippi 
River. That's something, because of my previous life, I know a little 
about.
    The Farmers Home Administration's Mer Rouge low income rural housing 
was cited for, quote, ``its poetic and uplifting architecture, and its 
cost-saving construction.'' Why can't we do that with all publicly 
supported housing?
    EGIS explosives detector, commissioned by the State Department and 
the Federal Aviation Administration, is a brilliant design that 
showcases handsome artistry along with modern innovation and technology.
    By blending nature, science, technology, and human expression, these 
and the other designs we honor today will be lasting monuments to the 
innovative spirit of Americans, and to the diversity and breadth of our 
culture. I salute the designers of these outstanding Federal projects 
and recognize those Departments who had the foresight to commission and 
oversee them. And I'm especially glad to see the Secretary of 
Agriculture here today, Secretary Espy, thank you very much.
    At this time, I'm also pleased to announce the call for entries for 
the next round of Presidential Design Awards. I hope there will be many 
more entrants; I hope we will be able to highlight them. I can't help 
but say that I think that if we could get these award winners that we're 
recognizing today and the next round of entrants widely publicized 
around the United States, it could have a dramatic impact on having the 
American people feel that their tax dollars are being better spend. It 
could have in the aggregate a really positive way of connecting the 
American people to their Government again. And if you can do that, after 
all we have been through over these last decades that have alienated the 
American people from their Government, you will have helped us to do 
something profoundly important.
    I'd like now to call upon the Chair of the National Endowment for 
the Arts to implement the awards program. She has done a terrific job, 
and I'm sure this will be one of her more enjoyable duties. Ms. Jane 
Alexander.

Note: The President spoke at 4:40 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Michael Vanderbyl, chair, 
Presidential Design Awards.