[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
[November 28, 1995]
[Pages 1788-1789]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995
November 28, 1995

    Today I have signed into law S. 440, the ``National Highway System 
Designation Act of 1995.'' This Act advances my Administration's 
continued commitment to strategic investment in our Nation's 
infrastructure. It releases immediately more than $5 billion in funding 
for highway and other transportation projects. It also implements my 
proposal for a ``Zero Tolerance'' policy toward drinking and driving by 
those under age 21.
    I am disturbed, however, by the repeal of certain key safety 
measures and will work to mitigate the impact of their repeal.
    This Act is the culmination of several years' work by all levels of 
government to identify highways of national significance--routes that 
will support our Nation's needs for efficient, safe, and reliable 
transportation. The designation of the National Highway System makes 
clear that transportation infrastructure should be viewed as a single 
system, with each mode complementing the others. Manufacturers and 
shippers rely on several modes of transportation to deliver their 
products to consumers in the most efficient manner possible. The 
National Highway System unites these different modes by providing access 
to major ports, airports, rail stations, and public transit facilities. 
The National Highway System also provides 53 critical connections to 
Canada and Mexico so that goods can move across our Nation's borders 
efficiently.
    In 1992, I saw the way in which our Nation's highways reach all 
Americans. Vice President Gore and I traveled much of this great land in 
buses, and we met the American people where they live and where they 
work. Whether at a truck stop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, or at dusk on 
U.S. Highway 51 in Sandoval, Illinois, we saw and heard what access and 
mobility mean to opportunity and economic well-being. It was during our 
first bus trip, from New York City to St. Louis, Missouri, that I made a 
commitment to rebuild America. And I'm proud to say, this National 
Highway System bill builds on all the work we have done in the last 3 
years to do just that.
    But the National Highway System is also something more. It is a 
prime example of the strategic investment of Federal resources. The 
National Highway System comprises only 4 percent of our Nation's 
highways, but these roads carry almost half of our highway traffic and 
most of our Nation's truck and tourist traffic. The improvements made to 
these roads will not only support our Nation's economic, national 
defense, and mobility needs, but directly and significantly improve the 
safety of these key national roadways. The funds released by this 
legislation and used to upgrade noninterstate highways will provide 
significant safety benefits.
    This Act also includes an essential and commonsense highway safety 
measure. Last June,

[[Page 1789]]

I called on the Congress to make ``Zero Tolerance'' the law of the land 
and require States to adopt a Zero Tolerance standard for drivers under 
the age of 21. It is already against the law for young people to consume 
alcohol. This national standard will reinforce these laws by making it 
effectively illegal for young people who have been drinking to drive an 
automobile.
    Many States have already enacted Zero Tolerance laws. These laws 
work--alcohol-related crashes involving teenage drivers are down as much 
as 20 percent in those States. When all States have these laws, hundreds 
more lives will be saved and thousands of injuries will be prevented. I 
commend the Congress for heeding my call and making Zero Tolerance the 
standard nationwide for drivers under the age of 21.
    S. 440 establishes innovative ways to attract new forms of 
investment in transportation and gives States greater flexibility and 
more options to utilize limited Federal transportation funds 
effectively. It also eliminates unnecessary Federal requirements such as 
those concerning highway building materials and program management. This 
will enable Federal transportation officials to focus their efforts on 
the most useful and cost-effective ways of achieving important safety 
aims and increase States' discretion to implement their highway programs 
in ways best suited to their own circumstances.
    In approving S. 440, however, I must note that some of my most 
serious concerns with this legislation have not been remedied. I am 
deeply disturbed by the repeal of both the national maximum speed limit 
law and the law encouraging States to enact motorcycle helmet use laws. 
I am also disturbed that this Act could potentially exempt large numbers 
of small- to medium-sized trucks and their drivers from critical safety 
regulations governing driver qualifications and truck maintenance.
    Without question, these laws have saved lives. The States, now given 
greater authority over issues of highway safety, must exercise this 
authority responsibly. I am, therefore, strongly committed to the 
requirement in this Act for Federal and State officials to work together 
to assess the costs and benefits of any change in speed limits. I have 
instructed the Secretary of Transportation to develop an action plan to 
promote safety consistent with my Administration's continuing commitment 
to highway safety. My Administration will redouble our efforts to 
protect those who travel on our Nation's highways.
    Although I am disappointed by the Congress' actions on these 
important safety measures, I believe that this legislation will benefit 
the Nation by designating and funding the National Highway System, 
strengthening the backbone of our transportation system, providing jobs 
and economic opportunities, funding vital transportation projects in 
every State, and making Zero Tolerance the law of the land.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

November 28, 1995.

Note: S. 440, approved November 28, was assigned Public Law No. 104-59.