    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [October 17, 2006]
    [Pages 1860-1861]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for Mary E. Peters as Secretary of Transportation
    October 17, 2006

        Thank you very much. Good afternoon. We are here to congratulate
    Mary Peters on becoming our Nation's 15th Secretary of Transportation.
        Mary is a dedicated public servant, an experienced leader, and one
    of our Nation's most innovative thinker on transportation issues. Mary
    brings more than two decades of knowledge and skill to her new post. She
    also brings to her position the love and support of her friends and her
    family. I want to thank her family for being here, especially Mary's
    husband, Terry.
        I appreciate my Chief of Staff, Josh Bolten, who is here to administer the oath. Presidents can't
    administer the oath--[laughter]--so I tapped my man, Josh. [Laughter]
        I want to thank Maria Cino, who is the Deputy
    Secretary, Acting Secretary. I thank you for your service and your
    friendship.
        I appreciate my friend Secretary Norm Mineta. I got some other stuff to say about you here in a minute.
    [Laughter] I do want to thank Rodney Slater
    for joining us, former Secretary of Transportation, as well as Jim
    Burnley. Thank you both for coming. I'm
    proud you're here, and I know Secretary Peters appreciates it as well.
        The job of Secretary of Transportation is one of the most important
    in our Federal Government. The American people rely on the Department of
    Transportation to maintain a safe, reliable, and efficient
    transportation system. And the future of our growing economy and
    changing infrastructure depend on the decisions made by the Secretary
    that will be put into action by this Department.
        The Secretary of Transportation also plays an important role in our
    Nation's coordinated efforts to guard against terrorist threats to our
    aircraft, seaports, and infrastructure. For the past 6 years, these
    responsibilities have been carried out by Norm Mineta, who served our country with distinction, integrity, and
    dedication. Norm is our Nation's longest serving Secretary of
    Transportation, and he served at a time of great consequence for our
    country.
        I remember after the attacks of September the 11th, when
    Norm led the successful effort to bring
    tens of thousands of passengers aboard commercial aircraft to safe
    landings. He grounded quite a few planes, including the ones my
    mom and dad were
    on. They've always thanked you for that, Norm. [Laughter]
        After Hurricane Katrina, Norm and his
    team helped quickly repair and reopen the major--area's major highways,
    airports, seaports, and pipelines. He offered incentive-based contracts
    and used other innovative ideas, and as a result, the Department of
    Transportation was to get critical infrastructure in place faster than
    usual. I want to thank you for your leadership, Norm, and I want to
    thank you for your lifetime of service to our country, and I wish you
    all the very best. And I want to remind you, Maria made you look pretty good while you were in office.
    [Laughter]
        Mary Peters is the right person to succeed Norm as the Secretary of Transportation. She worked for several
    years with Secretary Mineta, and she understands the fine legacy she has
    to live up to. She also knows firsthand the skills and dedication of the
    men and women who work here at the Department of Transportation. She's
    going to be a fine boss. She understands that to maintain our Nation's
    competitiveness and to sustain our growing economy, we need a Secretary
    who can see the challenges and be willing to confront them.
        Mary Peters will provide strong leadership. She has spent a lifetime
    working on transportation issues in both the private and

    [[Page 1861]]

    public sectors. Most recently, she has served as senior executive for
    transportation policy at a major engineering firm. For 4 years before
    that, she led the Federal Highway Administration. Before coming to
    Washington, she served in the Arizona Department of Transportation. For
    more than 15 years, she rose through the ranks to become director in
    1998.
        At both the State and Federal level, Mary Peters has worked to
    improve safety and security on roads and bridges. She's worked to reduce
    traffic congestion and modernize America's transportation
    infrastructure. As Secretary of Transportation, Mary will work closely
    with Federal, State, and local leaders to ensure that America has a
    state-of-the-art transportation system so that we can meet the needs of
    our growing economy.
        In her new position, she will face important challenges. Next year,
    she will lead the Department's efforts to reauthorize our Nation's
    aviation programs. Our Nation is outgrowing our aviation capacity. More
    people are flying every year, and so we must modernize our airports and
    our air traffic control.
        We also face the challenges of reducing congestion in our surface
    and maritime transportation systems. To accomplish these tasks, America
    needs creative thinking and innovative solutions, and I believe Mary
    Peters will provide them.
        As Mary works to build a better transportation system, she will be a
    careful steward of the people's money. She brings to her new position a
    reputation for fiscal discipline and integrity. As head of the Federal
    Highway Administration, Mary introduced better fiscal oversight and
    accountability. She improved management for the largest transportation
    projects. She worked closely with her department's inspector
    general to eliminate waste, fraud, and
    abuse. She's going to carry this kind of diligence into her new job.
        She understands the importance of a modern infrastructure and good
    management. And I'm pleased she has agreed to serve her country once
    again. As she takes on this important position, she has my full trust
    and my confidence. Mary, I look forward to working with you as the new
    Secretary of Transportation. Congratulations.
        It's now my honor to witness the swearing-in of Mary Peters.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:16 p.m. at the Department of
    Transportation. In his remarks, he referred to Terryl Peters, Sr.,
    husband of Secretary of Transportation Peters; and former Secretary of
    Transportation James H. Burnley IV. The transcript released by the
    Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of Secretary
    Peters.