REMARKS FOR
THE
HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SECURITY SUMMIT
WASHINGTON, D.C.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2001
12:30 PM
Thank you, Rod, for that kind introduction. And thank
you everyone for that warm welcome. I am pleased and honored to be your keynote
speaker this afternoon, and I appreciate you allowing me to be a last minute
add-on to your schedule.
I
want to commend your organizations for having the foresight to schedule an event
on the terrorism threat and transportation. Who would have thought that when you
scheduled this event we would have been confronted with the challenges before
us? America is a fundamentally different place from the one
that awoke on September 11th.
We have entered into a new era in transportation, an era in which one of
our most cherished freedoms, the freedom of mobility, has been
threatened. We must re-think the basic
approach with which we provide for the safety and security of everyone traveling
on America’s transportation systems. President Bush has said, we are in a war. Vice President Cheney has said that this
may be the first war in our nation’s history where the number of casualties on
the home front will exceed those on the battlefront. These systems are at risk of
being targets of terrorists. They
are also at risk of being used as weapons against Americans -- weapon delivery
systems used to damage or destroy our communities. I want to talk to you today
about one system that must show improvement right away. Aviation is not on your agenda today,
but I know many of you are involved in your communities’ airports and are keenly
interested in the security of our aviation system. I want to outline some of the steps that
I am taking to make those improvements.
Overcoming that threat will require all of us to take a fresh
and honest look at the business we are in.
And I will tell you now, this is not business as usual.
Therefore it
requires us who are in charge of managing these systems to work around the clock
to protect them from these attacks.
Today, America has an
airline industry-based security system.
Unfortunately, it is a system where deficiencies exist. Someone may undergo strict screening in
Kansas City, while someone else can slip a pistol by screeners in New
Orleans. This is intolerable.
We have required air
carriers and airports to implement new security measures after September
11th, and to correct any failures in the application of those
measures. Nevertheless, an
unacceptable number of deficiencies continue to occur. The result is a growing lack of
confidence and increasing criticism of the actions taken by the FAA.
I want to reverse that trend.
We must make sure the
implementation of current security measures is done in an effective and
consistent manner. When we find
ineffective or inadequate implementation of security measures, we must crack
down on those failures.
This morning I met with
special agents of the FAA from around the country. I told them I want them to crack down on
security screening failures occurring around the country. I want them to take decisive action in
making sure that the security measures we announced September 11th
are implemented regardless of who is in charge of managing the
system.
Let me be specific: If secure areas in airports have been
compromised, we will take corrective actions to recheck passengers -- including
re-screening passengers.
If a secure area is breached, FAA agents
will empty the concourse, re-screen passengers, and if necessary, hold
flights.
If improper screening of
carry-on luggage is occurring we will hold flights and re-screen passengers or
luggage.
And if we see untrained
screeners, FAA agents will stop the operation and bring passengers back for
re-screening when proper procedures are put into effect.
I want consistent
accountability. I want confidence
restored in the screening system, and the way to accomplish that goal under the
current system is to know that when people fail to meet the current
requirements, it is going to sting.
Every time the system is not
followed it breaks down the confidence of the traveling public -- and it reduces
the confidence they have in the Federal Government.
I have also asked the
Department of Transportation’s Inspector General to provide special agents from
his agency to supplement the over 500 agents from the FAA to inspect the various
airports around the country.
And, I have asked FAA
Administrator Jane Garvey to investigate hiring additional agents and
reassigning agents from other departments to assist in this effort.
In addition, Congress now has
an opportunity to empower the Federal Government to take command of our aviation
system’s security system, and they can do that this week by passing legislation,
H.R. 3150, to provide direct government control of security screening at the
nation’s airports, and maximize the safety and security of American
aviation.
While aviation is critical, it
is not the only key transportation asset of the U.S. Your conference is focusing on surface
transportation, and I want to discuss how we must work to also protect the
critical infrastructure elements of our railways, roads, transit systems,
pipelines, and waterways.
Last month, I created the
National Infrastructure Security Committee (NISC) at DOT to focus on intermodal
transportation security issues in the "new" threat environment. It has established various Direct Action
Groups, or DAGs, that bring in key industry reps, labor leaders, and other
stakeholders to provide input to DOT on maritime, pipeline and hazardous
materials issues.
Together, we have identified
high-value, high-consequence transportation assets and current protection
strategies. We are developing a set
of national standards that address a prudent level of protection for our most
critical transportation assets. And
we are addressing strategic gaps between the current and desired level of
protection for the most critical of these assets.
In the wake of the September
11th attacks, we have found ourselves revisiting very important
issues that certainly had our attention prior to that date, but to which we are
now a captive audience.
These include the need for
improved information sharing and dissemination of threat information between
government and industry.
They include the need for
protections and incentives that encourage private sector entities to voluntarily
work with government, and to cooperate among themselves knowing their
proprietary information is protected.
And they include the obvious
need for security-related legislative changes.
The Office of Homeland Security
and the Homeland Security Council will coordinate federal, state and local
efforts to strengthen protections against terrorist attacks here in the United
States and DOT has a very important role to play in all efforts at increasing
homeland security.
To that end, legislation has
been introduced as the Secure Transportation for America Act by the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Subcommittee on
Aviation, which would establish a new Transportation Security Administration
within DOT.
This entity would be
responsible for security for all modes of transportation. We are awaiting to see how this will
play out and are working on all the issues involved with the potential for a new
DOT operating administration.
There is other pending
legislation on the Hill of which DOT may play a central security role.
The Rail Security Act of 2001,
introduced in the Senate two weeks ago by Senators McCain and Hollings, provides
for improvement of rail safety and security, to include expanding railroad
police authority to any rail carrier, and for assessing security risks
associated with rail transportation.
It also provides for a review
of existing DOT rail regulations for the purpose of identifying areas in which
those regulations need to be revised to improve rail safety and security.
The legislation raises a
heightened awareness for the need for collective action and facilitates the
development of coordinated interagency and public-private approaches to port
security.
It provides for vulnerability
assessments for the 50 most strategically and economically important U.S. ports
that also happen to be where 90 percent of the cargo is shipped.
The legislation provides
additional authority to prescribe regulations to protect the public from crime
and terrorism; provides an accreditation of foreign seaports; provides loan
guarantees for port security infrastructure improvements; and provides port
related crime data collection and improved Customs reporting procedures.
Of course, DOT is working with
the Congress to ensure this legislation captures what is needed to ensure the
United States can guard itself against terrorism in the maritime arena.
We also need to make sure that
security for other transportation modes matches up with port security -- it would make no sense to impose a
security system for ports if other modes represented a security gap.
Other transportation security
measures include improving transit security, passenger rail security as well as
that of our ports and other maritime facilities.
For example, in the hazmat
area, on October 12, I sent legislation to Congress calling for tough actions to
address the serious problem of undeclared or hidden shipments of hazardous
materials. The safety and security
challenge is huge, but know that we are up to the challenge and we will meet it.
We are committed to ensuring
the safety and security of all our nation’s transportation systems to protect
the outstanding working men and women who operate and service them, and the
passengers who rely on them.
As we move forward from
September 11th, we must increase our vigilance, and we must take new
steps to move people and goods safely and efficiently, recognizing that the
nature of the threats has changed.
Travelers will see increased
security measures at our airports, train stations, and other key sites. There will be higher levels of
surveillance and more stringent searches.
The traveling public may
experience some inconveniences, but we must do what is prudent in order to
protect our citizens and transport workers – with safety and security as our
highest priorities.
The public, however, must also
understand the need for patience, and that patience is the new form of
patriotism.
The organizations you represent
are the engines that drive this economy, and we must ensure that our
transportation systems will never again be used as engines of destruction. And I am confident that we will bounce
back from the September 11th attacks.
We are in this for the long
haul and we are in it together. I know that is your goal, and the Department of
Transportation and this Administration share that goal. Working together – I know we will
prevail.
In closing, let me say that the efforts of each and
every one of you will be critical in the days ahead as we work to restore full
faith and confidence in our transportation system.
And let not our enemies doubt
our resolve.
Forty years ago, President
Kennedy said that America will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any
hardship, support any friend, and oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the
success of liberty.
A few weeks ago, President
George Bush drew a line in the sand.
You are – he said –
either with us, or you are against us. He said –
we will not waver
or tire or falter or fail. Peace
and freedom will prevail.
With your dedication,
commitment, and professionalism, we have the skills and the vision that
America needs to restore confidence in our nation’s transportation system.
We will not falter. We will not fail.
Thank you again for your time
and your attention. It has been a pleasure for me to join you here today
Thank you very much.
# # # #