Remarks Announcing the
Nominations of James H. Burnley IV To
Be Secretary and Mary Ann Weyforth Dawson To Be
Deputy Secretary of Transportation
The President. I'm delighted to
announce today my nominee for the post of Secretary of Transportation, James Burnley. Jim came to
Since
his days in the Yale University Political Union -- where, by the way, he
reminds me he had to listen to a speech from a certain newly elected Governor
of California -- [laughter] -- Jim has shown not just sound political instincts
-- he also belonged to the Conservative Party in the Union -- but a desire to
enter public service and influence our national life. Add to his grasp of
public policy his personal integrity and easy manner, and you can understand
how he earned his reputation as both a sound policymaker and excellent
administrator.
I'm
also delighted to tell you today that Mimi Dawson is our nominee for Deputy
Secretary of Transportation. Mimi, too, brings considerable experience and is a
remarkable success story. She worked on the Hill for 11 years. Before leaving,
she worked closely on the agenda for the Senate Commerce Committee, which as
you know has responsibility for transportation. Since 1981 Mimi has been a
member of the FCC, where she's been a leading expert on common carrier issues,
particularly deregulation of the telecommunications marketplace, including the
economic effect of mergers and acquisitions. And Jim, I'm sure you feel
fortunate, as do I, to have an individual with Mimi's wide-ranging background
and solid accomplishments as second in command at DOT.
I
know that Jim and Mimi will push ahead even further on such critical issues as
airline safety, privatization of public transportation, space commercialization
and industry, and general transportation safety. And that list represents a
tall order for both of them. But with the continued help of all of you here, I
have no doubt that together we will prevail.
Jim,
you're on.
Mr.
Burnley. Mr. President, I'm deeply honored by your
decision to nominate me to serve as the next Secretary of Transportation, and I
am also very pleased that you will simultaneously be submitting Mimi Dawson's
nomination to replace me as Deputy Secretary.
The
only constant in transportation in recent years has been the rate of very rapid
change. Twenty percent of our gross national product is generated by
transportation, and our expanding economy depends on continuing dynamic growth
in our transportation industries. Thus, even with the progress that the
administration and Congress have made in the last 6 years, we still face many
transportation challenges in this country. We have a very strong team at the
Department and a solid foundation as a result of the farsighted leadership of
your former Secretaries, Elizabeth Dole and Drew Lewis. And I'm looking forward
to the opportunity to consult and work cooperatively with both the Congress and
the transportation community to ensure the safest, most efficient
transportation system possible.
Ms.
Dawson. Thank you, Jim. Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to say how
deeply honored I have been over the last 6 years to serve you as a member of
the Federal Communications Commission. We have dealt with a lot of very
difficult issues there, and I think they helped me to be able to offer to Jim Burnley an opportunity to bring him a great deal of help in
the many serious, challenging issues which face us at the Department of
Transportation. I look forward to this challenge, and I'll look forward to
working with many of you and, of course, with Members of Congress and, most of
all, my new boss. Thank you.
Note: The President
spoke at