Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 103 Part 3.djvu/973

 PROCLAMATION 5980—MAY 16, 1989 103 STAT. 3041 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hun- , dred and thirteenth. GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 5980 of May 16, 1989 National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week, 1989 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Americans are the most mobile people in the world, and we are under- standably proud of our transportation system. It is one of our greatest achievements and most valued assets, conveying each of us and virtu- ally every item of our commerce. The steaming piston, the whirring turbine, and the spinning wheel of the high-speed train are familiar symbols of this indispensable support of our daily activities. New symbols join the list every year, such as the "pillar of fire" of the space shuttle or the promise of the magnetic levi- tation train. From covered wagons and the Erie Canal to jiunbo jets and superhighways, the network of roads, air routes, and waterways that constitute America's transportation system has increased our pro- ductivity, spiured our economic growth, and logistically strengthened our national defense. Our transportation system provides the arteries we need to work with America's allies in ensuring our common securi- ty and enables us to deploy and supply our forces overseas. With the growth of our transportation needs have come new demands and challenges, but the transportation industry has continued working to meet them, promoting the development of a more reliable, conven- ient, and efficient transportation system. There has also been a growing awareness of the need for transporta- tion safety. Americans are working together to eliminate the menace of drunk and drugged driving; communities are promoting education pro- grams and more stringent laws designed to improve transportation safety; and judges are getting tougher when dealing with offenders. The Government and private sector are united in these efforts to reduce fa- talities and accident rates to the lowest levels in history. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the men and women who dedicate themselves to saving lives and preventing injuries. In recognition of the importance of transportation and of the millions of Americans who serve and supply our transportation needs, the Con- gress, by joint resolution approved May 16, 1957, has requested that the third Friday in May of each year be designated as "National Defense Transportation Day," and by joint resolution approved May 14, 1962, that the week in which that Friday falls be proclaimed "National Transportation Week."

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