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Ed Derwinski 3/15/89 [OA 8747]
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Ed Derwinski 3/15/89 [OA 8747]
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Mark Davis Subject Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Davis, Mark, Files
Subseries:
Subject File, 1989-1991
OA/ID Number:
13869
Folder ID Number:
13869-010
Folder Title:
Ed Derwinski, 3/15/89
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
19
2
6
2
ShiRlEy
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
DeRwinski
SWeARinG -in Manh 15
Jote today
ASAP - no LATER MAndes
if
Don't HERE AT OR know JET VETS STAFF / & / DEDICA- now-
202 IF on liver
HERE, 3 ONE
I
THE WHITE HOUSE
washington
POSTAL clERK. - NOT A HERO -
Filmelip BUSH Announcing
DERW.
Renest sport cont morning
he Sot the CALL from G.B.
Rushes home, usp. suit/
FIRST TIME CONCEDE COAT-
- GIST: BUSH: ED - TACENT-
NEVER put TOGETHER. BUSH,
RWCI ED. Ow HUSTING -
ETN
ETHNIC
ED WORD "CRONIES"- DEEP
INTO CONG. Diplomacy,
TIES Run for long. long
time - STYLES lAiD - bACK,
HANDS ON." FRieNDS +ColleAGUES 11
So JETS. CAN sit AT SIDE OF.
PRES.
BOTH "ADUOCATES 11 FOR THE
VETERANS - UA 50 TIED to
Congress - it TAKES A SKillED
NEZ. WHO knows Spoyes, Coyms
+ W.H.
ED USED to Do CASEWORK-
SOLDIER WHO CAME munhs up then
- good humor
VIETNAM/KOREA
SOME JET GROUPS Don't
LIKE SITES - TOO WWII, TOO
MARINE.
Davis/Simon
March 8, 9:30 p.m.
DERWINSKI SWEARING-IN
2:15 P.M., MARCH 15, 1989
IWO JIMA MONUMENT
Good afternoon, Ed, Bonnie, Maureen and Michael. Good to
)
see you Tony. (Bill Mauldin -- "Willie and Joe")
(Ed, you should know that if you had worn your gold-and-
black checkered jacket with your tomato red beret -- the White
House camera crew would have gone on strike.)
From where we are standing, we can see most of the landmarks
of this town. Across the river, Abraham Lincoln reposes
majestically in his chair of stone. Thomas Jefferson commands
our respect as a bronzed giant underneath a dome of marble. And
the Washington Monument rises above the level surface of the Mall
-- much as our first President dominated his time.
We glorify our greatest leaders. But we do not build these
marble
ivory temples to honor them alone. We honor the enduring
principles for which they stood. And we honor the millions of
men and women who have been ready throughout the history of our
nation to defend those principles.
-2-
There have been three calls to arms in the living memory of
most Americans or their parents. Behind me, a fleeting moment of
victory, first captured in a Life Magazine photograph, is now
Associated Press
cast for the ages in bronze. No one who lived through that war
will ever forget that picture, or what it meant to us
...
certainly not this former pilot of an Avenger torpedo bomber.
left
Over to our (direction) is yet another monument to America's
World War Two veteran -- the Netherlands Carillon (Care-ah-lawn).
?
We have yet to honor the veterans of the Korean War in such
although I'm glad to see planning more forward.
a
way. But three weeks ago I saw the best monument to these
brave Americans there could possibly be -- the nation of South
Korea itself, a new-born democracy rescued by American sacrifice,
protected by American strength.
Across the river, just below the horizon, are the chiseled
names of the Vietnam Memorial; a somber salute to those who fell,
and all who answered the call to duty. May we never cease to
honor them, in name and deed.
Finally, let us never forget those men and women in the
Armed Forces who, even in peacetime, risk their lives in a
hardship post or a dangerous assignment. whether it's standing
on station on a carrier off the Persian Gulf, or an staying anti-terrosist
M unit, waiting endlessly for theall we hope never comes.
-3-
Gettysburg
The meaning of a monument, as Lincoln said of the
battlefield at Gettysburg, is "far above our poor power to add or
detract.
"
The words of that speech are carved in stone in memorial his behind
Speeches and stone are inadequate repayment for those
me.
who made the ultimate sacrifice.
But that doesn't free us of obligation. If you go to the
front enterance of the Veteran's Affairs Department, you will see
another quote from Abraham Lincoln, etched in stone, calling on
us: "to care for him who shall borne the battle and for his
2nd
have
Inaugural
widow, and his orphan. "
This is the mission of the new Department of Veterans
Affairs, which today officially assumes the duties of the
Veterans Administration. I consider the new department to have a
vital mission. In fact, it is so vital, that there is only one
place for the veterans of America -- in the Cabinet Room, at the
right-hand side of the President of the United States of America
As the first Secretary of this new Department, Ed Derwinski
will set a precedent. He is uniquely suited for this role,
having served with distinction in both the legislative and the
executive branches of government.
-4-
My friendship with Ed goes back to my days as a freshman
Congressman from Houston. And I know that for Ed, the House of
Representatives is still a second home inhabited by many friends.
No former colleague of Ed's can forget his unfailing good humor.
Nor will veterans forget his good work -- Ed's cheerful handling
of a heavy burden of casework, cutting red-tape so that thousands
of veterans could receive their pensions, medical benefits and
military honors.
At the State Department, Ed packed the achievements of a
whole career into a few years. He worked with Congress,
conducted special international negotiations with Canada, Iceland
and Pacific nations, acted as a senior official for refugee
policy and programs, and prevented the diversion of sensitive
U.S. technology to unfriendly nations.
In short, Ed Derwinski has the skill of a seasoned
legislator, the patience of a practiced administrator, the
finesse of a diplomat -- and the heart of a man who knows what it
means to start his government career as a private in the U.S.
Army.
This is a unique combination of experience and skills. And
make no mistake, the job requires someone with Ed Derwinski's
background and talents.
-5-
This new department must match vast resources to vast needs.
Almost one out of every three U.S. citizens is a potential V.A.
beneficiary. Count among them 27 million veterans and 53 million
dependents and survivors.
VA
Ed will oversee a department with almost a quarter of a
x
fert
million employees -- the second largest civilian task force in
sheet
the government -- administering a budget of more than $2829
FY 90
billion.
Budget
OMB
The Department of Veterans Affairs will provide compensation
to service-disabled veterans, pensions for low-income veterans
and survivors, educational assistance and vocational
rehabilitation. It guarantees the home loans for 12 million
families, and operates the fifth largest insurance industry in
America.
It also runs the nation's largest medical system, with 172
hospitals, and hundreds of outpatient clinics and nursing homes.
But the best resource of the new Department is its people --
men and women who live up to the highest ideal of public service
every day. They have my sincerest gratitude for a job well done.
-6-
It is only appropriate, given this setting, to note one
other task assigned to the Veterans Affairs Department -- to tend
and care for 112 national cemeteries across America. There is no
VA
power or glamour in such a job. But there is caring and respect
fact
-- for those who are gone, and for those who grieve.
sheet
Behind us is one such garden of stone, Arlington National
Cemetery, the one national cemetery under the care of the U.S.
475-081
Army. Here sleep the heroes of every service, Marine, soldier,
695-3175 Carretory
sailor, 'Air man Force; lost youth that can only be measured in
centuries.
A President could have no more poignant a reminder that he
is charged with a great trust. It is my duty, as President of
Commander in chief
the United States, to see to it that our armed forces are so
strong, and our diplomacy so wise, that we need never again to
erect another monument to American war dead
the casualties of was
A free America in a world at peace. Together, we have
achieved that goal. Together, we can preserve it. And if we do,
then surely that peace will be the truest monument to our
veterans
-7-
Ed, congratulations, and thanks for all that you have
already done. We've got a big job ahead. I look forward to
working closely with you in the years to come.
#
#
#
N128
UN
RD09 TT00
UNBX
AP-DERWINSKI CONFIRMATION
BY GUY DARST
WASHINGTON (AP) -- EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, PRESIDENT BUSH'S NOMINEE TO
HEAD THE NEW VETERANS DEPARTMENT, TOLD SENATORS WEDNESDAY HE DOESN'T
BELIEVE HE PUT ANYONE IN DANGER WITH AN UNTHINKING WARNING TO THE
KOREAN EMBASSY THAT ONE OF ITS AGENTS WAS ABOUT TO DEFECT.
HE CALLED HIS REMARK, IN 1977, A 'RATHER STUPID THING TO DO.''
'WITH THE LUXURY OF HINDSIGHT, IT WAS A COMMENT THAT NEVER SHOULD
HAVE BEEN MADE,' DERWINSKI SAID IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS OF THE SENATE
VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AT HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING.
"IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT GOOD JUDGMENT. : ] OBVIOUSLY WISH I HADN'T
DONE IT.''
DERWINSKI WAS THE RANKING REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF A HOUSE COMMITTEE
INVESTIGATING THE ''KOREAGATE'' SCANDAL IN SEPTEMBER 1977 WHEN HE WAS
TOLD BY THE COMMITTEE STAFF THAT A KOREAN OFFICIAL WAS GOING TO DEFECT
TO THE COMMITTEE.
IN WRITTEN ANSWERS TO VETERANS COMMITTEE QUESTIONS SUBMITTED EARLIER
AND RELEASED WEDNESDAY, DERWINSKI SAID HE ENCOUNTERED A KOREAN EMBASSY
OFFICIAL THAT DAY ON THE STEPS OF, OR NEAR, THE LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE
BUILDING.
''IN THE PROCESS OF THE CONVERSATION, AND WITHOUT GIVING THE MATTER
ANY SERIOUS THOUGHT, I CASUALLY OBSERVED SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT
THE NEXT PROBLEM THEY WOULD HAVE WITH OUR COMMITTEE WAS ONE OF THEIR
OFFICIALS AS A WITNESS.'
HE ADDED WEDNESDAY, "I HONESTLY DO NOT BELIEVE I EVER ENDANGERED
ANYONE.''
THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE HAS EXAMINED THE KOREAN AGENT
QUESTION TWICE BEFORE. HOWEVER, DERWINSKI'S 1983 AND 1987 CONFIRMATIONS
FOR STATE DEPARTMENT POSTS ATTRACTED LITTLE ATTENTION.
DERWINSKI HAS BEEN NONINATED TO HEAD THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND
TO BE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WHEN THE VA BECOMES A CABINET
DEPARTMENT ON MARCH 15.
IN INITIAL QUESTIONING, NO SENATOR CRITICIZED HIS ACTION IN THE
KOREAN MATTER, BUT COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ALAN CRANSTON, D-CALIF., SAID,
"I DO NOT INTEND TO TAKE A POSITION UNTIL THE VOTE TOMORROW.''
THE CONMITTEE WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM A GRAND JURY
THAT INVESTIGATED THE 1977 INCIDENT. DERWINSKI, UNDER QUESTIONING BY
CRANSTON, SAID THAT ON THE ADVICE OF HIS ATTORNEY HE HAD DECLINED TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS BY THE GRAND JURY, CITING "THE SPEECH AND DEBATE
CLAUSE'' OF THE CONSTITUTION ON GROUNDS OF ''POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE OF
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH INTO MY DUTIES'' AS A CONGRESSMAN.
AP-WX-03-01-89 1951EST
AP, 2/27/89
VETERANS BUDGET
BY GUY DARST
WASHINGTON (RP) -- THE NOMINEE TO HEAD THE NEW CABINET-LEVEL
VETERANS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY HE DOES NOT EXPECT TO WIN
ADMINISTRATION APPROVAL TO SEEK EXTRA MONEY FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
EDWARD J. DERWINSKI TOLD REPORTERS THAT THE $520 MILLION
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION REQUEST FOR WHICH HE IS SEEKING APPROVAL
FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET WOULD BE AN RDD-ON TO THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION'S PLANNED SPENDING FOR THE 1990 FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING
OCT. 1.
MIF THERE IS AN 189 SUPPLEMENTAL WHICH 1 DOUBT, WE'LL HAVE A SHOT
THERE,'' DERWINSKI SAID AFTER A SPEECH TO RN AMERICAN LEGION MEETING.
DERWINSKI RAD PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED FAILURE SO FAR TO WIN OMB APPROVAL
FOR A REQUEST FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR MEDICAL CARE THIS
YEAR, THE 1989 FISCAL YEAR.
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE SAID SINCE LAST FALL THEIR
$10.8 BILLION MEDICAL CARE BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WOULD BE
ABOUT $600 MILLION TO $1 BILLION SHORT OF WHAT THE 130-HOSPITAL SYSTEM
NEEDS.
OVERALL VETERANS SPENDING IS BUDGETED AT $29.77 BILLION IN THE
CURRENT YEAR. BUSH PROPOSED $29.96 BILLION FOR 1990, OF WHICH $10.99
BILLION WOULD BE FOR MEDICAL CARE.
LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE VETERANS AFFAIRS CONNITTEE RECOMMENDED TO THE
HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE ADDITIONAL SPENDING THIS YEAR OF $520 MILLION,
63 PERCENT OF TT FOR MEDICAL CARE, AND $1.3 BILLION MORE FOR NEXT YEAR,
85 PERCENT OF IT FOR MEDICAL CARE.
IN HIS SPEECH, DERWINSKI CAUTIONED SEVERAL TIMES AGRINST ASSUMING
THAT THE NEW CABINET STATUS TO TAKE EFFECT NEXT MONTH WOULD
AUTOMATICALLY MEAN MORE MONEY.
MIN GOING TO WIN SOME BATTLES: I'M GOING TO LOSE SOME BATTLES, BUT
WE'LL GIVE IT THE OLD COLLEGE TRY,'' HE SAID.
AP-WX-02-27-89 1158EST
BiLL ANDERSON (USIA-KEN-DERW.)
AP, 3/2/89
Derwinski Gets Unanimously OK
WASHINGTON (AP) I The Senate voted 94-0 confirmation Thursday night of
Edward J. Derwinski as the first secretary of veterans affairs, despite a
statement by one key senator that "significant ethical questions" were raised
defect. by Derwinski's 1977 tip to South Korea that one of its agents was about to
"Mr. Derwinski made significant mistakes in 1977 in making the disclosure
and since then on a number of occasions in dissembling as to what he had
done," said Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., chairman of the Veterans Affairs
Committee.
"I find that these actions and statements raise significant ethical
questions," Cranston said at a committee session on the nomination a few hours
before the floor vote. The dissembling, he told reporters later, continued
"into 1989."
Despite Cranston's comments, the panel voted 10-0 to recommend confirmation
by the full Senate. Hours later, the Senate went along.
In the final tally, those not voting were Sens. David Boren, D-Okla.; David
Durenberger, R-Minn.; Al Gore, Jr., D-Tenn.; Bob Packwood, R-Ore.; Paul Simon,
D-Ill.; and Timothy Wirth, D-Colo.,
Derwinski in 1977 was the senior Republican on a House committee
investigating bribery of members of Congress by the Korean government.
872
He told the Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday he inadvertently
mentioned in a conversation with a Korean diplomat on or near the steps of a
House committee. office building that a Korean official was going to testify before the
Derwinski, 62, denied being the source of the tip until confirmation
hearings for a State Department post in 1983 after 12 terms in the House as an
public attention at the time.
Illinois Republican. The hearings and his admission attracted practically no
Cranston said he was unable to lay out the reasons for his conclusions
because they were based on secret information, in some cases information the
White House declined to release to Derwinski but did allow senators to inspect.
When weighed against Derwinski's 30 years of service in Congress and the
State Department, "I do not find his indiscretions as to this one incident to
be disqualifying," Cranston said. "I am optimistic about Mr. Derwinski's
potential to rise above this unattractive episode, to put it behind him once
and for all."
Derwinski himself did not attend the session and in a statement read by aide
Don Smith ignored Cranston's criticisms: "I appreciate the unanimous
endorsement of the committee and will now focus my efforts to work for
America's veterans."
Senators of both parties praised Cranston for thoroughness and fairness. The
senior Republican, Frank Murkowski of Alaska, said he found that Derwinski had
of access to secret information.
answered all questions "adequately to the issue" even though hampered by lack
statement." Asked if he agreed with Cranston's comments, Murkowski said, "I stand on my
AP-NY-03-02-89 2108EST
- 5
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"DI 10 D
11 bi
THE WHITE HOUSE
washington
BillMAulDiN - "WilliE + JOE"
ENliSTED mAn's touch -
tolo thE truth of the WAR.
HERE Dennis iro Boxx BILL ANDERSOW'S WILLBE is
ABSENCE.
EDWARD J. DERWINSKI
Hill Veteran's Friendships
THE WASHINGTON POST
Cross Party Lines
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23. 1988
By David S. Broder
"He knows the Hill well, and he's
Washington Post Staff Writer
made enough speeches about 'bur-
geoning bureaucracies' that he'll
Former representative Edward J.
Derwinski, the person President-
keep the department lean and mean
elect George Bush named yester-
and make sure the benefits get to
day as the first head of the new De-
the veterans," Michel said.
partment of Veterans Affairs, is a
Derwinski's House career ended
crew-cut giant with the build of an
in 1982 when redistricting forced
overage defensive tackle and a bi-
him to run in the GOP primary
partisan host of friends on Capitol
against a Republican colleague and
Hill who can help protect him from
close friend, the late George
the political pressures sure to be
O'Brien. He lost the primary by
generated in his new job.
2,000 votes, but their friendship
Derwinski, 62, served 24 years
remained intact.
in the House from a blue-collar dis-
In 1983, Derwinski was named
trict at the south end of Cook Coun-
State Department counselor and
ty, III., and his style makes him
now holds the position of undersec-
more at home in the bars of Chicago
retary for security assistance, sci-
Heights than in the paneled confer-
ence and technology.
ence rooms of the State Depart-
In Foggy Bottom, Derwinski's
ment, where he has been a high-lev-
political background and loud
el trouble-shooter on foreign aid
clothes (he showed up at last
and other matters for the past six
week's State Department Corre-
years.
spondents dinner in a tomato-red
He is a conservative Republican,
beret) raised eyebrows, but he
SPORTS JACKET w/
but he numbers many Democrats
proved his usefulness in handling
BLACK-AND-GOLD CHECKS,
among his boosters. Rep. David R.
problems on foreign aid, the Los
Obey (D-Wis.), the liberal Demo-
Angeles and Seoul Olympics, and he
AWD ATOMATO-RED
crat who heads the Appropriations
served as an informal liaison to do-
BERET - you MIGHT
subcommittee that handles foreign
mestic constituencies with strong
aid, described Derwinski yesterday
interests in foreign affairs.
SAY ME WAS OUT OF
as "one of the nicest people on this
In the last two years, Derwinski
Earth."
appeared to have been overshad-
UniFoRm.
Derwinski, Obey added, "was al-
ways in a neck-and-neck contest
owed in congressional relations by
Deputy Secretary John C. White-
with [Massachusetts Rep.] Sil
Conte to see who could wear the
head and indicated his readiness to
worst sports coats in the world.
leave the State Department.
Black and gold checks are his favor-
His administrative skills are un-
ite."
tested on anything remotely resem-
As a senior Republican on the
bling the scale of the Veterans De-
Foreign Affairs and the Post Office
partment, which takes over a $26
and Civil Service committees, Der-
billion budget and 250,000 employ-
winski played a key role in engi-
ees from the familiar Veterans Ad-
neering passage of legislation for
ministration. But Derwinski, a
presidents of both parties. "He car-
World War II combat veteran, drew
ried the ball for [President Richard
praise from Rep. G.V. (Sonny)
M.] Nixon on the creation of a new
Montgomery (D-Miss.), the chair-
postal corporation," recalled Chair-
man of the House Veterans Com-
man William D. Ford (D-Mich.) of
mittee, as a man who will be "a
the Post Office committee, "and he
strong spokesman" for the nation's
was vital to the passage of the Civil
veterans.
Service reform in the Carter
Few Cabinet members will enjoy
years."
a closer relationship with Bush, as
House Minority Leader Robert
Derwinski signaled with his joshing
H. Michel (R-III.), who said he
comments about recognizing the
urged Bush to find a place for Der-
president-elect's future potential
winski in his administration, said,
when Bush arrived in the House as
"Eddie will do a hell of a job" in the
"a young, innocent freshman from TEXAS."
NEW YORK TIMES, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1988
Edward Joseph Derwinski
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
By ROBERT PEAR
Special 10 The New York Times
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 - Edward
When he left Congress, squeezed
J. Derwinski, the man chosen by
out by redistricting in Illinois, Mr.
President-elect Bush to head the new
Derwinski was the ranking Republi-
Department of Veterans Affairs,
can on the House Post Office and Civil
moved from the right wing toward
Service Committee. He played a
the political center of the Republican
large role in passing legislation to
Party in the course of a 24-year ca-
overhaul the Civil Service in 1978. He
reer in Congress representing a sub-
resisted the Carter Administration's
urban Chicago district.
effort to curtail the advantages in hir-
He was not deeply involved in legis-
ing and promotion given to Federal
lation affecting veterans, although he
employees who had served in the
is a World War II veteran, having
armed forces.
served as an Army infantryman in
the Pacific theater. He has been a
An Upset Victory
member of the American Legion, the
Edward Joseph Derwinski was
Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Catho-
born in Chicago on Sept. 15, 1926, the
lic War Veterans and the Polish Le-
son of Casimir Ignatius and Sophia
gion of American Veterans.
Derwinski. He received a bachelor's
When he arrived in Congress in
degree in history from Loyola Uni-
1959, at the age of 32, he was an ag-
versity in Chicago and was on his way
gressive anti-Communist, denounc-
to a career as a savings and loan ex-
ing State Department officials as "a
ecutive when he ran for the Illinois
gang of fuzzy-headed idiots." But he
State House of Representatives and
has worked at the State Department
won an upset victory. He served there
for almost six years. First, as counse-
in 1957 and 1958, when he ran for Con-
lor, he was a general troubleshooter
gress. In 1964, he was the Illinois state
and adviser to Secretary of State
chairman in Barry Goldwater's un-
George P. Shultz.
successful campaign for the Presi-
Push for Arms Sales
dency.
Since March 1987, he has been the
Mr. Derwinski's wife, Bonita, is
Under Secretary of State for Security
deputy director of Congressional and
Assistance, Science and Technology.
public affairs at the Immigration and
In that position, he has used his con-
Naturalization Service. Mr. Derwin-
tacts on Capitol Hill to win support
ski has two children from a previous
for arms sales to friendly countries.
marriage that ended in divorce: Mau-
He has supervised efforts to restrict
reen Sue and Michael Stephen.
the export of advanced technology to
If he is confirmed by the Senate and
Soviet bloc countries and was in
becomes the first Secretary of Vet-
charge of Operation Staunch, the
erans Affairs, Mr. Derwinski will
American program to prevent arms
have more opportunity to work with
sales to Iran.
Congress, an institution for which he
He has also coordinated United
has often expressed nostalgic affec-
States Government activities related
tion.
to international sports events like the
"I miss it, I miss it all," he said of
Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, this
Congress. "I even miss the irritating
year. A big, bluff, friendly man with a
things, the nasty letters."
crew cut, Mr. Derwinski is an avid
sports fan. A teddy bear dressed like
a Chicago Bear sits atop the televi-
sion in his office, one wall of which is
lined with pennants of the Chicago
White Sox, the Chicago Cubs and the
Chicago Blackhawks.
Representative G.V. (Sonny)
Montgomery, the Mississippi Demo-
crat who heads the Committee on
Veterans Affairs, said Mr. Derwinski
had not been prominent in House de-
bates on legislation affecting vet-
erans. But he said Mr. Derwinski was
"a good choice" to run the veterans
agency, which has an annual budget
of $28 billion and 245,000 employees.
The new department will inherit
the work of the Veterans Administra-
tion, which manages 172 hospitals
and 112 cemeteries around the coun-
try. By giving the department Cabi-
net status, Mr. Montgomery said,
"We hoped to improve care for vet-
erans." The Secretary should be "a
strong spokesman for veterans," and
one of his first jobs will be to defend
The New York Times
veterans programs from the knife of
Former Representative Edwin J.
White House budget cutters, Mr.
Derwinski, the choice to be Secre-
Montgomery said.
tary of Veterans Affairs.
A.M.
Davis/Simon
March 7, 6 p.m.
DERWINSKI SWEARING-IN
2:15 P.M., MARCH 15, 1989
IWO JIMA MONUMENT
Bonnie
Good afternoon, Ed, Bonita, Maureen and Michael.
"WilliE+JOE"
Bill MAULDIN
(Ed, you should know that if you had worn your gold-and-
black checkered jacket with your tomato red beret -- the White
House camera crew would have gone on strike.)
From where we are standing, we can see most of the landmarks
of this town. Across the river, Abraham Lincoln reposes
majestically in his chair of stone. Thomas Jefferson commands
our respect as a bronzed giant underneath a dome of marble. And
the Washington Monument rises above the level surface of the Mall
-- much as our first President dominated his time.
We glorify our greatest leaders. But we do not build these
ivory temples to honor them alone. We honor the enduring
principles for which they stood. And we honor the millions of
men and women who have been ready throughout the history of our
nation to defend those principles.
-2-
There have been three calls to arms in the living memory of
most Americans or their parents. Behind me, a fleeting moment of
victory, first captured in a Life Magazine photograph, is now
cast for the ages in bronze. No one who lived through that war
will ever forget that picture, or what it meant to us
...
certainly not this former pilot of an Avenger torpedo bomber.
Over to our (direction) is yet another monument to America's
World War Two veteran -- the Netherlands Carillon (Care-ah-lawn).
We have yet to honor the veterans of the Korean War in such
a way. But three weeks ago I saw the best monument to these
brave Americans there could possibly be -- the nation of South
Korea itself, a new-born democracy rescued by American sacrifice,
protected by American strength.
Across the river, just below the horizon, are the chiseled
names of the Vietnam Memorial; a somber salute to those who fell,
and all who answered the call to duty. May we never cease to
honor them, in name and deed.
Finally, let us never forget those men and women in the
Armed Forces who, even in peacetime, risk their lives in a
hardship post or a dangerous assignment.
-3-
The meaning of a monument, as Lincoln said of the
battlefield at Gettysburg, is "far above our poor power to add or
detract." Speeches and stone are inadequate repayment for those
who made the ultimate sacrifice.
But that doesn't free us of obligation. If you go to the
front enterance of the Veteran's Affairs Department, you will see
another quote from Abraham Lincoln, etched in stone: (CAllingonus) to care for
him who shall borne the battle and for his widow, and his
orphan.'
"
This is the mission of the new Department of Veterans
Affairs, which today officially assumes the duties of the
Veterans Administration. I consider the new department to have a
vital mission. In fact, it is so vital, that there is only one
place for the veterans of America -- in the Cabinet Room, at the
right hand side of the President of the United States of America
As the first Secretary of this new Department, Ed Derwinski
will set a precedent. He is uniquely suited for this role,
having served with distinction in both the legislative and the
executive branches of government.
-4-
My friendship with Ed goes back to my days as a freshman
Congressman from Houston. And I know that for Ed, the House of
Representatives is still a second home inhabited by many friends.
No former colleague of Ed's can forget his unfailing good humor.
Nor will veterans forget his good work -- Ed's cheerful handling
hundreds
of a heavy burden of casework, cutting red-tape so that thousands
of veterans could receive their pensions, medical benefits and
military honors.
At the State Department, Ed packed the achievements of a
whole career into a few years. He worked with Congress,
conducted special international negotiations with Canada, Iceland
and Pacific nations, acted as a senior official for refugee
policy and programs, and prevented the diversion of sensitive
U.S. technology to unfriendly nations.
In short, Ed Derwinski has the skill of a seasoned
legislator, the patience of a practiced administrator, the
finesse of a diplomat -- and the heart of a man who knows what it
means to start his government career as a private in the U.S.
Army.
This is a unique combination of experience and skills. And
make no mistake, the job requires someone with Ed Derwinski's
background and talents.
-5-
This new department must match vast resources to vast needs.
Almost one out of every three U.S. citizens is a potential V.A.
beneficiary. Count among them 27 million veterans and 53 million
dependents and survivors.
Ed will oversee a department with almost a quarter of a
million employees -- the second largest civilian task force in
the government -- administering a budget of more than $28
billion.
The Department of Veterans Affairs will provide compensation
to service-disabled veterans, pensions for low-income veterans
and survivors, educational assistance and vocational
rehabilitation. It guarantees the home loans for 12 million
families, and operates the fifth largest insurance industry in
America.
It also runs the nation's largest medical system, with 172
hospitals, and hundreds of outpatient clinics and nursing homes.
But the best resource of the new Department is its people --
men and women who live up to the highest ideal of public service
every day. They have my sincerest gratitude for a job well done.
-6-
It is only appropriate, given this setting, to note one
other task assigned to the Veterans Affairs Department -- to tend
and care for 112 national cemeteries across America. There is no
power or glamour in such a job. But there is caring and respect
-- for those who are gone, and for those who grieve.
Behind us is one such garden of stone, Arlington National
Cemetery, the one national cemetery under the care of the U.S.
Army. Here sleep the heroes of every service, Marine, soldier,
sailor, Air Force; lost youth that can only be measured in
centuries.
A President could have no more poignant a reminder that he
is charged with a great trust. It is my duty, as President of
the United States, to see to it that our armed forces are so
strong, and our diplomacy so wise, that we need never again to
erect another monument to American war dead.
A free America in a world at peace. Together, we have
achieved that goal. Together, we can preserve it. And if we do,
then surely that peace will be the truest monument to our
veterans
-7-
Ed, congratulations, and thanks for all that you have
already done. We've got a big job ahead. I look forward to
working closely with you in the years to come.
#
#
#
DERWINSKi
MARCH 15
2:15 Iwo SimA MEMORIAL
Steve StuDDARt
BATES - CABINET SEC. is PROJECT OFFICER
Steve STUDDART ADVANCE
FIRST LADY? ?
SOCULAR- sport coats / his family
Known ED - took ME UNDER his wing,
Lincoln -
BiG job UET PEOPLE GREAT /
ELEVATION
quote
STATS
Linemo
AND one MORE DUTY. It is solemn -
Cometaries - CARILLION of the dead.
KERE
DOUG ADAIR
AT OTHER SWEARING-ins
10-12
Steve STUDDART - 456-2721
DAVIS
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
March 15, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF
SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS EDWARD DERWINSKI
The South Lawn
1:00 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Mr. Vice President and
members of the President's Cabinet that are here, distinguished
members of the Senate and the House, and service secretaries and I
see at least one member of the Joint Chiefs, General Vuono there, and
distinguished guests over here, including Bill Mauldin. I'm just
delighted to be here to salute Ed Derwinski, be with his family,
Bonnie, Maureen, and Michael. I heard Maureen and Michael -- I
thought maybe President Reagan was back. (Laughter.) But, no, this
is the Derwinski clan.
And, Ed, I want to thank you for not wearing that gold
and black-checkered jacket with that tomato-red beret. (Laughter.)
I'm reliably informed that the White House camera crew would have
gone on instant strike. We don't need another strike. (Laughter.)
From where we're standing, most of the landmarks of this
town are almost a stone's throw away. That's one of the beautiful
things that Barbara and I have rediscovered, but discovered
principally from living in the quarters above here. Just to the west
of us, Abraham Lincoln reposes majestically in his chair of stone.
Straight ahead, Thomas Jefferson commands our respect -- a bronze
giant underneath a dome of marble. And the Washington Monument rises
above the level of the surface of the Mall, much as our first
President dominated his time.
We glorify our greatest leaders. But we do not build
these ivory temples to honor them alone. We honor the enduring
principles for which they stood. And we honor the millions of men
and women who have been ready throughout the history of our nation to
defend those principles.
There have been four calls to arms in the living memory
of most Americans or their parents. From the South Lawn of the White
House, one can see a flaming sword, a tribute to the courage of the
soldiers of the Army's 2nd Division who fought so bravely in World
War I. At the Iwo Jima Memorial just across the river, a fleeting
moment of victory, first captured in an Associated Press photograph,
is now cast for the ages in bronze. No one who lived through that
war will ever forget that picture or what it meant to us.
And we have yet to honor the veterans of the Korean War
in such a way, although I'm glad to see that planning for a memorial
is moving forward. But three weeks ago I saw a living monument to
these brave Americans -- the Republic of Korea itself, a newborn
democracy aided by American sacrifice, protected by American
strength. Just below the horizon, to our right, are the simple lines
and chiseled names of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; a somber salute
to those who fell and to all who answered the call to duty. May we
never cease to honor them, in name and deed.
And let us never forget those men and women in the Armed
Forces who, even in peacetime, risk their lives in a hardship post or
a dangerous assignment, whether it's standing on the deck of a
MORE
- 2 -
carrier off the Persian Gulf, or an antiterrorist unit, waiting for a
call that we hope never comes.
The meaning of a monument, as Lincoln said of the
Battlefield at Gettysburg, is "far above our poor power to add or
detract.' These words are carved in stone in the Lincoln Memorial.
But Lincoln himself acknowledged that speeches and statuary are
inadequate -- they're inadequate repayment for those who made the
ultimate sacrifice. And our obligation is also for the living.
If you go to the front entrance of the Veterans Affairs
Department, you'll see another quote from Abraham Lincoln, cast in a
plate of steel, calling on us -- here's the quote -- "to care for him
who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan."
This is the mission of the new Department of Veterans
Affairs, which today officially assumes the duties of the Veterans
Administration. I consider the new Department to have a vital
mission. In fact, it is so vital that there's only one place for the
veterans of America -- in the Cabinet Room, at the table with the
President of the United States of America. (Applause.)
And as the first Secretary of this new Department, Ed
Derwinski will set a precedent. He is uniquely suited for this role,
having served with distinction in both the Legislative and the
Executive Branches of government.
My friendship with Ed goes back to my days as a freshman
Congressman from Houston, Texas. Ed, a Congressman from Illinois
then, was already a veteran of some tough congressional battles. And
I know that for Ed, the House of Representatives is still a second
home with many, many friends. No former colleagues of Ed can ever
forget his unfailing good humor and his concern for people. Nor will
veterans forget his good work -- Ed's handling of a heavy burden of
casework, cutting red tape so that thousands of veterans could
receive their pensions, medical benefits, deserved military honors.
At the State Department, Ed packed the achievements of a
whole career into a few years. He worked with Congress; conducted
special international negotiations with Canada, Iceland, the Pacific
nations; acted as a senior official for refugee policy and programs;
and prevented the diversion of the sensitive technology that belongs
to the United States to unfriendly nations.
In short, Ed Derwinski has the skill of a seasoned
legislator, the patience of a practiced administrator, the finesse of
a diplomat -- and the heart of a man who knows what it means to start
his government career as a private in the United States Army. This
is a unique combination of experience and skills. And make no
mistake, the job, this new job requires someone with Ed Derwinski's
backgrounds and talents.
This new Department must manage its vast resources to
meet vast needs. Almost one out of every three U.S. citizens is a
potential VA beneficiary. Count among them 27 million veterans and
53 million dependents and survivors. Ed will oversee a Department
with almost a quarter of a million employees -- the second largest
civilian task force in the government -- administrating a budget of
more than $29 billion.
And the Department of VA provides compensation to
service-disabled veterans, pensions for low-income, disabled veterans
and survivors, educational assistance and vocational rehab. It
guarantees the home loans for 12 million families, and operates the
fifth largest life insurance program in America. It also runs the
nation's largest medical system, with 172 hospitals and hundreds of
outpatient clinics and nursing homes.
But the best resource of the new Department is its people
-- men and women who live up to the highest ideal of public service
every day. And they have my sincerest gratitude for a job well-done.
MORE
- 3 -
It is only appropriate to note one other task assigned to
the Veterans Affairs Department -- to tend and care for 112 national
cemeteries across America. There's no power, no glamour in such a
job. But there is caring and respect -- for those who are gone and
for those who grieve. In those "gardens of stone" sleep the heroes
-- men and women of every service, Marine, soldier, sailor, airman --
lost youth that can only be measured in centuries. A president could
have no more poignant a reminder that he is charged with a great
trust.
It is my duty, as the Commander-In-Chief, to see to it
that our Armed Forces are so strong and our diplomacy so wise that we
will never again need to erect another monument to the casualties of
war. (Applause.)
A free America in a world at peace. Together we have
achieved that goal. Together we can preserve it. And if we do, then
surely that peace will be the truest monument to our veterans.
Ed, congratulations. Thanks for all that you have
already done. And we've got a big job ahead. And I look forward to
working closely with you in the years to come.
Thank you all. And God bless the United States of
America. (Applause.)
END
1:36 P.M. EST
ED DERWINSKI SWEARING-IN
SOUTH LAWN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1989
GOOD AFTERNOON, ED, BONNIE, MAUREEN AND MICHAEL.
GOOD TO SEE YOU TONY.
- 2 -
((ED, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR FINE
SUIT. You SHOULD KNOW THAT IF YOU HAD WORN YOUR GOLD-
AND-BLACK CHECKERED JACKET WITH YOUR TOMATO RED BERET -
- THE WHITE HOUSE CAMERA CREW WOULD HAVE GONE ON
STRIKE.))
FROM WHERE WE ARE STANDING, MOST OF THE LANDMARKS
OF THIS TOWN ARE ALMOST A STONE'S THROW AWAY. JUST TO
THE WEST OF US, ABRAHAM LINCOLN REPOSES MAJESTICALLY IN
HIS CHAIR OF STONE.
- 3 -
STRAIGHT AHEAD OF US, THOMAS JEFFERSON COMMANDS OUR
RESPECT: A BRONZE GIANT UNDERNEATH A DOME OF MARBLE.
AND THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT RISES ABOVE THE LEVEL
SURFACE OF THE MALL -- MUCH AS OUR FIRST PRESIDENT
DOMINATED HIS TIME.
WE GLORIFY OUR GREATEST LEADERS. BUT WE DO NOT
BUILD THESE IVORY TEMPLES TO HONOR THEM ALONE.
- 4 -
WE HONOR THE ENDURING PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH THEY STOOD.
AND WE HONOR THE MILLIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE
BEEN READY THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION TO
DEFEND THOSE PRINCIPLES.
THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR CALLS TO ARMS IN THE LIVING
MEMORY OF MOST AMERICANS OR THEIR PARENTS.
- 5 -
FROM THE SOUTH LAWN OF THE WHITE HOUSE, ONE CAN SEE A
FLAMING SWORD, A TRIBUTE TO THE COURAGE OF THE SOLDIERS
OF THE ARMY'S 2ND DIVISION, WHO FOUGHT SO BRAVELY IN
WORLD WAR ONE. AT THE Iwo JIMA MEMORIAL, JUST ACROSS
THE RIVER, A FLEETING MOMENT OF VICTORY, FIRST CAPTURED
IN AN ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPH, IS NOW CAST FOR THE
AGES IN BRONZE. No ONE WHO LIVED THROUGH THAT WAR WILL
EVER FORGET THAT PICTURE, OR WHAT IT MEANT TO US
...
(CERTAINLY NOT THIS FORMER PILOT.))
- 6 -
WE HAVE YET TO HONOR THE VETERANS OF THE KOREAN WAR
IN SUCH A WAY, ALTHOUGH I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT PLANNING
FOR A MEMORIAL IS MOVING FORWARD. BUT THREE WEEKS AGO
I SAW A LIVING MONUMENT TO THESE BRAVE AMERICANS -- THE
REPUBLIC OF KOREA ITSELF, A NEW-BORN DEMOCRACY AIDED BY
AMERICAN SACRIFICE, PROTECTED BY AMERICAN STRENGTH.
- 7 -
JUST BELOW THE HORIZON, To OUR RIGHT, ARE THE
SIMPLE LINES AND CHISELED NAMES OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS
MEMORIAL; A SOMBER SALUTE TO THOSE WHO FELL, AND TO ALL
WHO ANSWERED THE CALL TO DUTY. MAY WE NEVER CEASE TO
HONOR THEM, IN NAME AND DEED.
- 8 -
FINALLY, LET US NEVER FORGET THOSE MEN AND WOMEN IN
THE ARMED FORCES WHO, EVEN IN PEACETIME, RISK THEIR
LIVES IN A HARDSHIP POST OR A DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENT,
WHETHER IT'S STANDING ON THE DECK OF A CARRIER OFF THE
PERSIAN GULF, OR AN ANTI-TERRORIST UNIT, WAITING FOR A
CALL WE HOPE NEVER COMES.
THE MEANING OF A MONUMENT, AS LINCOLN SAID OF THE
BATTLEFIELD AT GETTYSBURG, IS "FAR ABOVE OUR POOR POWER
TO ADD OR DETRACT."
- 9 -
THESE WORDS ARE CARVED IN STONE IN THE LINCOLN
MEMORIAL. BUT LINCOLN HIMSELF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
SPEECHES AND STATUARY ARE INADEQUATE REPAYMENT FOR
THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
OUR OBLIGATION IS ALSO TO THE LIVING.
- 10 -
IF YOU GO TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT, YOU WILL SEE ANOTHER QUOTE FROM ABRAHAM
LINCOLN, CAST IN A PLATE OF STEEL, CALLING ON US: "To
CARE FOR HIM WHO SHALL HAVE BORNE THE BATTLE AND FOR
HIS WIDOW, AND HIS ORPHAN."
THIS IS THE MISSION OF THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS, WHICH TODAY OFFICIALLY ASSUMES THE
DUTIES OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. I CONSIDER THE
NEW DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A VITAL MISSION.
- 11 -
IN FACT, IT IS so VITAL, THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE
FOR THE VETERANS OF AMERICA -- IN THE CABINET ROOM, AT
THE TABLE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
As THE FIRST SECRETARY OF THIS NEW DEPARTMENT, ED
DERWINSKI WILL SET A PRECEDENT. HE IS UNIQUELY SUITED
FOR THIS ROLE, HAVING SERVED WITH DISTINCTION IN BOTH
THE LEGISLATIVE AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF
GOVERNMENT.
- 12 -
MY FRIENDSHIP WITH ED GOES BACK TO MY DAYS AS A
FRESHMAN CONGRESSMAN FROM HOUSTON. ED, A CONGRESSMAN
FROM ILLINOIS, WAS ALREADY A VETERAN OF SOME TOUGH
CONGRESSIONAL BATTLES. AND I KNOW THAT FOR ED, THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS STILL A SECOND HOME WITH
MANY FRIENDS. No FORMER COLLEAGUE OF ED'S CAN FORGET
HIS UNFAILING GOOD HUMOR.
- 13 -
NOR WILL VETERANS FORGET HIS GOOD WORK -- ED's HANDLING
OF A HEAVY BURDEN OF CASEWORK, CUTTING RED-TAPE so THAT
THOUSANDS OF VETERANS COULD RECEIVE THEIR PENSIONS,
MEDICAL BENEFITS AND MILITARY HONORS.
AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, ED PACKED THE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF A WHOLE CAREER INTO A FEW YEARS.
- 14 -
HE WORKED WITH CONGRESS, CONDUCTED SPECIAL
INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA, ICELAND AND
PACIFIC NATIONS, ACTED AS A SENIOR OFFICIAL FOR REFUGEE
POLICY AND PROGRAMS, AND PREVENTED THE DIVERSION OF
SENSITIVE U.S. TECHNOLOGY TO UNFRIENDLY NATIONS.
- 17 -
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVIDES
COMPENSATION TO SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS, PENSIONS FOR
LOW-INCOME, DISABLED VETERANS AND SURVIVORS,
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION.
IT GUARANTEES THE HOME LOANS FOR 12 MILLION FAMILIES,
AND OPERATES THE FIFTH LARGEST LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM
IN AMERICA.
- 18 -
IT ALSO RUNS THE NATION'S LARGEST MEDICAL SYSTEM,
WITH 172 HOSPITALS, AND HUNDREDS OF OUTPATIENT CLINICS
AND NURSING HOMES.
BUT THE BEST RESOURCE OF THE NEW DEPARTMENT IS ITS
PEOPLE --MEN AND WOMEN WHO LIVE UP TO THE HIGHEST IDEAL
OF PUBLIC SERVICE EVERY DAY. THEY HAVE MY SINCEREST
GRATITUDE FOR A JOB WELL DONE.
- 19 -
IT IS ONLY APPROPRIATE TO NOTE ONE OTHER TASK
ASSIGNED TO THE VETERANS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT -- TO TEND
AND CARE FOR 112 NATIONAL CEMETERIES ACROSS AMERICA.
THERE IS NO POWER OR GLAMOUR IN SUCH A JOB. BUT THERE
IS CARING AND RESPECT -- FOR THOSE WHO ARE GONE, AND
FOR THOSE WHO GRIEVE.
- 20 -
IN THESE "GARDENS OF STONE" SLEEP THE HEROES -- MEN
AND WOMEN -- OF EVERY SERVICE, MARINE, SOLDIER, SAILOR,
AIRMAN; LOST YOUTH THAT CAN ONLY BE MEASURED IN
CENTURIES.
A PRESIDENT COULD HAVE NO MORE POIGNANT A REMINDER
THAT HE IS CHARGED WITH A GREAT TRUST.
- 21 -
IT IS MY DUTY, AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, TO SEE TO IT THAT
OUR ARMED FORCES ARE so STRONG, AND OUR DIPLOMACY so
WISE, THAT WE WILL NEVER AGAIN NEED TO ERECT ANOTHER
MONUMENT TO THE CASUALTIES OF WAR.
A FREE AMERICA IN A WORLD AT PEACE. TOGETHER, WE
HAVE ACHIEVED THAT GOAL. TOGETHER, WE CAN PRESERVE IT.
AND IF WE DO, THEN SURELY THAT PEACE WILL BE THE TRUEST
MONUMENT TO OUR VETERANS
- 22 -
ED, CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU
HAVE ALREADY DONE. WE'VE GOT A BIG JOB AHEAD. I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU IN THE YEARS TO
COME.
###
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
3/13/89
(Davis/Simon)
March 10, 1989
7:30 p.m.
OK
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DERWINSKI SWEARING-IN
SOUTH LAWN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1989
C13-13
Good afternoon, Ed, Bonnie, Maureen and Michael. Good to
see you Tony.
((Ed, I want to compliment you on your fine suit. You
should know that if you had worn your gold-and-black checkered
jacket with your tomato red beret -- the White House camera crew
would have gone on strike.) ))
From where we are standing, most of the landmarks of this
town are almost a stone's throw away. Just to the West of us,
Abraham Lincoln reposes majestically in his chair of stone.
Straight ahead of us, Thomas Jefferson commands our respect: a
bronze giant underneath a dome of marble. And the Washington
Monument rises above the level surface of the Mall -- much as our
first President dominated his time.
We glorify our greatest leaders. But we do not build these
ivory temples to honor them alone. We honor the enduring
principles for which they stood. And we honor the millions of
men and women who have been ready throughout the history of our
nation to defend those principles.
There have been four calls to arms in the living memory of
most Americans or their parents. From the South Lawn of the
where?
White House, one can see a flaming sword, a tribute to the
2
courage of the soldiers of the Army's 2nd Division, who fought so
bravely in World War One. At the Iwo Jima memorial, just across
the river, a fleeting moment of victory, first captured in an
Associated Press photograph, is now cast for the ages in bronze.
No one who lived through that war will ever forget that picture,
or what it meant to us
certainly not this former pilot.
We have yet to honor the veterans of the Korean War in such
a way, although I'm glad to see that planning for a memorial is
moving forward. But three weeks ago I saw a living monument to
these brave Americans -- the Republic of Korea itself, a new-born
democracy aided by American sacrifice, protected by American
strength.
Just below the horizon, to our right, are the simple lines
and chiseled names of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; a somber
salute to those who fell, and to all who answered the call to
duty. May we never cease to honor them, in name and deed.
Finally, let us never forget those men and women in the
Armed Forces who, even in peacetime, risk their lives in a
hardship post or a dangerous assignment, whether it's standing on
the deck of a carrier off the Persian Gulf, or an anti-terrorist
unit, waiting for a call we hope never comes.
The meaning of a monument, as Lincoln said of the
battlefield at Gettysburg, is "far above our poor power to add or
detract. " These words are carved in stone in the Lincoln
Memorial. But Lincoln himself acknowledged that speeches and
3
statuary are inadequate repayment for those who made the ultimate
sacrifice.
Our obligation is also to the living. If you go to the
front entrance of the Veterans Affairs Department, you will see
another quote from Abraham Lincoln, cast in a plate of steel,
calling on us: "to care for him who shall have borne the battle
and for his widow, and his orphan."
This is the mission of the new Department of Veterans
Affairs, which today officially assumes the duties of the
Veterans Administration. I consider the new department to have a
vital mission. In fact, it is so vital, that there is only one
place for the veterans of America -- in the Cabinet Room, at the
table with the President of the United States of America
As the first Secretary of this new Department, Ed Derwinski
will set a precedent. He is uniquely suited for this role,
having served with distinction in both the legislative and the
executive branches of government.
My friendship with Ed goes back to my days as a freshman
Congressman from Houston And I know that for Ed, the House of
Representatives is still a second home with many friends. No
former colleague of Ed's can forget his unfailing good humor.
Nor will veterans forget his good work -- Ed's handling of a
heavy burden of casework, cutting red-tape so that thousands of
veterans could receive their pensions, medical benefits and
military honors.
was already a Congressan a veteran of some tough congressional battleo.
Ed, from Illinois,
4
At the State Department, Ed packed the achievements of a
whole career into a few years. He worked with Congress,
conducted special international negotiations with Canada, Iceland
and Pacific nations, acted as a senior official for refugee
policy and programs, and prevented the diversion of sensitive
U.S. technology to unfriendly nations.
In short, Ed Derwinski has the skill of a seasoned
legislator, the patience of a practiced administrator, the
finesse of a diplomat -- and the heart of a man who knows what it
means to start his government career as a private in the U.S.
Army.
This is a unique combination of experience and skills. And
make no mistake, the job requires someone with Ed Derwinski's
background and talents.
This new department must manage its vast resources to meet
vast needs. Almost one out of every three U.S. citizens is a
potential V.A. beneficiary. Count among them 27 million veterans
and 53 million dependents and survivors.
Ed will oversee a department with almost a quarter of a
million employees -- the second largest civilian task force in
the government -- administering a budget of more than $29
billion.
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides compensation to
service-disabled veterans, pensions for low-income, disabled
veterans and survivors, educational assistance and vocational
rehabilitation. It guarantees the home loans for 12 million
5
families, and operates the fifth largest life insurance program
in America.
It also runs the nation's largest medical system, with 172
hospitals, and hundreds of outpatient clinics and nursing homes.
But the best resource of the new Department is its people --
men and women who live up to the highest ideal of public service
every day. They have my sincerest gratitude for a job well done.
It is only appropriate to note one other task assigned to
the Veterans Affairs Department -- to tend and care for 112
national cemeteries across America. There is no power or glamour
in such a job. But there is caring and respect -- for those who
are gone, and for those who grieve.
In these "gardens of stone" sleep the heroes -- men and
women -- of every service, Marine, soldier, sailor, airman; lost
youth that can only be measured in centuries.
A President could have no more poignant a reminder that he
is charged with a great trust. It is my duty, as Commander-in-
Chief, to see to it that our armed forces are so strong, and our
diplomacy so wise, that we will never again need to erect another
monument to the casualties of war.
A free America in a world at peace. Together, we have
achieved that goal. Together, we can preserve it. And if we do,
then surely that peace will be the truest monument to our
veterans
6
Ed, congratulations, and thanks for all that you have
already done. We've got a big job ahead. I look forward to
working closely with you in the years to come.
###
Davis/Dooley
March 11, 1989
1:00 p.m.
REMARKS: INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS OF AMERICA
ANNUAL NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
MARCH 14, 1989
Thank you.
It is truly an honor to appear before this group. In this
city, the currency of status is measured in titles and honorifics
-- Senator, Ambassador, Secretary. But in my book, you hold one
of the most impressive titles of all -- that of entrepreneur.
I know the hunger you feel to own a firm of your own, to
start from scratch, to build it and watch it grow. I know the
satisfaction of matching resources to needs, of meeting deadlines
and meeting payrolls.
A few years after World War Two, I started my own business.
It was a small firm at first, but not too small to teach me the
facts of economic life. I got my start by taking a risk; and I
got my business education by making that company grow.
Our company was a high-risk venture. There was a new
technology, unproven, full of half-starts and failures, called
2
off-shore drilling. We took a gamble; we invested in that
technology; and we succeeded in pioneering a new way to find
America's energy. It wasn't always easy, even in the years we
did well. I recall our despair when a hurricane hit our brand
new rig on its first location -- and it disappeared.
But I learned some very important lessons. When that rig
went down, people lost their jobs. When we rebuilt, people went
back to work. I saw the strain on the faces of family
breadwinners, and I saw the joy.
So Washington may not always appreciate the role of small
business in creating jobs and keeping America competitive. But
rest assured, there is at least one person in Washington who
does, and he is your President
I also appreciate your industry's role in society. Without
insurance, the loss of a spouse could mean the loss of a home.
Without insurance, the loss of a parent could keep a child from
attending college. We cannot offer protection against fate. But
we can prevent the compounding of a tragedy, so that a death or
an illness doesn't leave a bitter legacy of poverty and despair
for a whole family.
3
You prevent that kind of double tragedy. You add a little
bit of comfort to the grieving, and predictability for those who
are victims of the unpredictable.
This is your service to society. It is as crucial a service
as that of any social welfare agency. And you cannot continue to
perform it if your industry is hamstrung by excessive regulation.
That's why we worked to remove excessive regulations, to
free the creative energies of small firms. By ordering a review
of more than 100 government regulations, the Task Force on
Regulatory Relief, which I chaired as Vice President, saved the
private sector more than 600 million man hours of paperwork and
billions of dollars in government compliance cost. I will
continue to work to keep you free from excessive regulation.
And when it comes to necessary regulation of your business,
I am committed to letting the states take the lead -- not the
federal government. Reducing the regulatory burden is important,
but we must take action on other fronts as well if we are to keep
American small business strong.
This is why I have also proposed a cut in the capital gains
tax rate. Most of our major trading partners do not tax long-
term capital gains. They understand that a high capital gains
tax unnecessarily hurts our competitive position by drying up the
4
formation of capital, businesses and jobs. In 1978, when
Congress cut the maximum tax rate on capital gains, the result
was an explosion of new companies and new revenues.
Small businesses with less than 500 employees employ more
than half of U.S. workers. So any onerous new burden on small
business will also throw workers out of their jobs.
It is for this reason that I oppose the movement toward
mandated employee benefits
In an era of tight budgets,
there is always the temptation to drop the burden of social
programs on the backs of employers. But these policies, born of
the best intentions, can have unintended and counterproductive
consequences.
It is up to business and labor to negotiate their
differences. And make no mistake, I support the right of labor
to negotiate as an equal. But burdensome mandated benefits serve
neither business nor labor. We have seen what happens in other
countries where mandated benefit programs create obstacles to
productivity and growth. We cannot build a better America if we
weigh down our production sector with new burdens.
And let me address one other area that concerns your
business -- tort reform. Of course, there are many litigants who
deserve a jury's sympathy. But when local governments cannot
5
install playgrounds, when businesses are bankrupted, when mothers
struggle to find an obstetrician, when volunteer organizations
have to pull back, then it is time to consider limiting damages.
Tort reform is critical to the health of businesses and volunteer
organizations alike.
All of my policies are directed toward a single goal:
building a better America. To achieve this goal, my plan has
four broad objectives -- attention to urgent priorities, an
attack on the deficit, no new taxes, and an investment in the
future.
Without a strong private sector, our nation would be mired
in the past, doomed to fail. The entrepreneur is the man or the
woman who is not only ready for change, but who relishes the
thought of it. And this thought leads me to speak to you in more
general terms, about my presidency, the challenges I hope to
meet, the accomplishments I hope to make.
I am a man of this century. I fought in this century's
greatest war, and raised a family and built a business during the
mid-century of American greatness.
But I want to be a President who is remembered for preparing
America for the next century. This is my entrepreneurial
6
definition of leadership, to see the shape of things to come, and
to prepare for that 21st Century world -- only eleven years away.
By the year 2000, we will have experienced change as swift
and fast as a torrent. Change in the American family, and in our
work habits. Change in technology. Change in the world economy.
Change in the rate of change itself.
The makeup of our remarkable nation has been evolving
constantly. But the qualities on which it was founded are
timeless and true. One of those constants is that we are an
entrepreneurial people, at our best when we are challenged, and
when we boldly face the future.
So my agenda is this: to confront the emerging problems of
the future, today. A complacent society is doomed to comfortable
decline. A dynamic society is one that keeps pace with the
times. So call it that, if you will -- a Dynamic America. But
recognize in the restless drive and vision of the American
entrepreneur our best qualities as a nation.
A complacent nation would take comfort that America is free
and the world is at peace. But world events are moving too
swiftly for us to relax in set ways, to cling to smug
assumptions. The question we must answer is: Will American
7
foreign policy be flexible enough to meet the emerging, and
potentially dramatic, new world developments?
With this question in mind, I have asked all the appropriate
agencies to reassess our foreign policy and defense strategy.
This compréhensive review will set the basis of my future
actions, and guide America into the next decade, and toward the
next century.
On economic policy, I have submitted to the Congress a
budget that is fiscally responsible. This budget does four
things: it substantially reduces the deficit, it includes no new
taxes, it addresses key priorities, and it still provides for
important investments which will help make us more competitive in
the future. My speech to Congress was accompanied by 193 pages
of specific recommendations for the budget. Looking back in the
history books, we found that no other President in recent history
had presented quite so much information to Congress at such an
early date.
I have also submitted a proposal to solve a festering
problem that threatens our future prosperity -- a plan to restore
the integrity of our nation's Savings and Loan institutions. I
have asked the Congress to take action within 45 days. This
problem is too important to delay.
8
The changing nature of American society -- to more working
parents -- is putting pressure on our most basic social
institution -- the family. How will we respond to this change?
We simply cannot afford to create another entitlement program.
That is why I am proposing a child-care plan that combines tax
credits and private-sector resources to offer parents a choice.
I want to empower parents, not government, to seek the best and
the safest environment for their children.
There are many other areas of change. Homelessness affects
a small proportion of Americans, but concerns all of us. But
when I look out a White House window and see the ragged pathetic
figures huddled over the steam grates of the Ellipse, I also see
an affront to the American Dream. We must seek the root causes
of, and devise the most practical solutions for, homelessness.
The environment -- once the concern of a farsighted few, is
now a top priority of my Administration at home and abroad. We
must devise a global approach to the problems of ozone depletion
and global warming. We intend to make rapid progress on acid
rain and see that a new clean air bill is produced. And we have
already broken ground in joining with other nations to call for
the elimination of CFCs and in adopting a tough new policy on the
export of hazardous waste.
9
Finally, I want to single out one area which, in so many
ways, is pre-eminently important to our nation. I am sure it is
of particular importance to your family. We must protect, and
strengthen, our schools.
You and I know that education is our most enduring legacy.
You and I know that education is nothing less than the very heart
and soul of our civilization.
As we face a new decade and a new century beyond, we also
face a new challenge -- to revitalize and restore the system our
forebears bequeathed to us; to ensure American education is
second to none.
I have made a number of proposals to work toward this goal.
Among them is my request to reward those schools whose students
show measurable progress in educational achievement, while
maintaining a safe and drug-free environment.
I have also asked for an annual fund of $100 million in new
appropriations to help create magnet schools to broaden the
educational choices of parents and students. And I have made
many other proposals, including programs to strengthen
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and to reward our
best teachers.
10
I appeal to you to get active in your schools, to share your
knowledge, expertise and resources where it is most needed.
I've laid out my agenda for building a better America.
True, it is an ambitious one. But it is no less ambitious, no
less dynamic, than the American people. As businessmen and
women, you can help me to fulfill this agenda, to meet the
challenges that face our country. By working together, we can
achieve anything.
Thank you.
#
#
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ED DERWINSKI SWEARING-IN
Mahtaris
SOUTH LAWN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1989
Hand I
GOOD AFTERNOON, ED, BONNIE, MAUREEN AND MICHAEL.
GOOD TO SEE YOU TONY.
- 2 -
((ED, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR FINE
SUIT. You SHOULD KNOW THAT IF YOU HAD WORN YOUR GOLD-
AND-BLACK CHECKERED JACKET WITH YOUR TOMATO RED BERET -
- THE WHITE HOUSE CAMERA CREW WOULD HAVE GONE ON
STRIKE.
FROM WHERE WE ARE STANDING, MOST OF THE LANDMARKS
OF THIS TOWN ARE ALMOST A STONE'S THROW AWAY. JUST TO
THE WEST OF US, ABRAHAM LINCOLN REPOSES MAJESTICALLY IN
HIS CHAIR OF STONE.
- 3 -
STRAIGHT AHEAD OF US, THOMAS JEFFERSON COMMANDS OUR
RESPECT: A BRONZE GIANT UNDERNEATH A DOME OF MARBLE.
AND THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT RISES ABOVE THE LEVEL
SURFACE OF THE MALL -- MUCH AS OUR FIRST PRESIDENT
DOMINATED HIS TIME.
WE GLORIFY OUR GREATEST LEADERS. BUT WE DO NOT
BUILD THESE IVORY TEMPLES TO HONOR THEM ALONE.
- 4 -
WE HONOR THE ENDURING PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH THEY STOOD.
AND WE HONOR THE MILLIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE
BEEN READY THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION TO
DEFEND THOSE PRINCIPLES.
THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR CALLS TO ARMS IN THE LIVING
MEMORY OF MOST AMERICANS OR THEIR PARENTS.
- 5 -
FROM THE SOUTH LAWN OF THE WHITE HOUSE, ONE CAN SEE A
FLAMING SWORD, A TRIBUTE To THE COURAGE OF THE SOLDIERS
OF THE ARMY'S 2ND DIVISION, WHO FOUGHT so BRAVELY IN
WORLD WAR ONE. AT THE Iwo JIMA MEMORIAL, JUST ACROSS
THE RIVER, A FLEETING MOMENT OF VICTORY, FIRST CAPTURED
IN AN ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPH, IS NOW CAST FOR THE
AGES IN BRONZE. No ONE WHO LIVED THROUGH THAT WAR WILL
EVER FORGET THAT PICTURE, OR WHAT IT MEANT TO US
...
(CERTAINLY NOT THIS FORMER PILOT.))
- 6 -
WE HAVE YET To HONOR THE VETERANS OF THE KOREAN WAR
IN SUCH A WAY, ALTHOUGH I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT PLANNING
FOR A MEMORIAL IS MOVING FORWARD. BUT THREE WEEKS AGO
I SAW A LIVING MONUMENT TO THESE BRAVE AMERICANS -- THE
REPUBLIC OF KOREA ITSELF, A NEW-BORN DEMOCRACY AIDED BY
AMERICAN SACRIFICE, PROTECTED BY AMERICAN STRENGTH.
- 7 -
JUST BELOW THE HORIZON, TO OUR RIGHT, ARE THE
SIMPLE LINES AND CHISELED NAMES OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS
MEMORIAL; A SOMBER SALUTE TO THOSE WHO FELL, AND TO ALL
WHO ANSWERED THE CALL TO DUTY. MAY WE NEVER CEASE TO
HONOR THEM, IN NAME AND DEED.
- 8 -
FINALLY, LET US NEVER FORGET THOSE MEN AND WOMEN IN
THE ARMED FORCES WHO, EVEN IN PEACETIME, RISK THEIR
LIVES IN A HARDSHIP POST OR A DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENT,
WHETHER IT'S STANDING ON THE DECK OF A CARRIER OFF THE
PERSIAN GULF, OR AN ANTI-TERRORIST UNIT, WAITING FOR A
CALL WE HOPE NEVER COMES.
THE MEANING OF A MONUMENT, AS LINCOLN SAID OF THE
BATTLEFIELD AT GETTYSBURG, IS "FAR ABOVE OUR POOR POWER
TO ADD OR DETRACT."
- 9 -
THESE WORDS ARE CARVED IN STONE IN THE LINCOLN
MEMORIAL. BUT LINCOLN HIMSELF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
SPEECHES AND STATUARY ARE INADEQUATE REPAYMENT FOR
THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
OUR OBLIGATION IS ALSO TO THE LIVING.
- 10 -
IF YOU GO TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT, YOU WILL SEE ANOTHER QUOTE FROM ABRAHAM
LINCOLN, CAST IN A PLATE OF STEEL, CALLING ON US: "To
CARE FOR HIM WHO SHALL HAVE BORNE THE BATTLE AND FOR
HIS WIDOW, AND HIS ORPHAN."
THIS IS THE MISSION OF THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS, WHICH TODAY OFFICIALLY ASSUMES THE
DUTIES OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. I CONSIDER THE
NEW DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A VITAL MISSION.
- 11 -
IN FACT, IT IS so VITAL, THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE
FOR THE VETERANS OF AMERICA -- IN THE CABINET ROOM, AT
THE TABLE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
As THE FIRST SECRETARY OF THIS NEW DEPARTMENT, ED
DERWINSKI WILL SET A PRECEDENT. HE IS UNIQUELY SUITED
FOR THIS ROLE, HAVING SERVED WITH DISTINCTION IN BOTH
THE LEGISLATIVE AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF
GOVERNMENT.
- 12 -
MY FRIENDSHIP WITH ED GOES BACK TO MY DAYS AS A
FRESHMAN CONGRESSMAN FROM HOUSTON. ED, A CONGRESSMAN
FROM ILLINOIS, WAS ALREADY A VETERAN OF SOME TOUGH
CONGRESSIONAL BATTLES. AND I KNOW THAT FOR ED, THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS STILL A SECOND HOME WITH
MANY FRIENDS. No FORMER COLLEAGUE OF ED's CAN FORGET
HIS UNFAILING GOOD HUMOR.
- 13 -
NOR WILL VETERANS FORGET HIS GOOD WORK -- ED'S HANDLING
OF A HEAVY BURDEN OF CASEWORK, CUTTING RED-TAPE so THAT
THOUSANDS OF VETERANS COULD RECEIVE THEIR PENSIONS,
MEDICAL BENEFITS AND MILITARY HONORS.
AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, ED PACKED THE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF A WHOLE CAREER INTO A FEW YEARS.
- 14 -
HE WORKED WITH CONGRESS, CONDUCTED SPECIAL
INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA, ICELAND AND
PACIFIC NATIONS, ACTED AS A SENIOR OFFICIAL FOR REFUGEE
POLICY AND PROGRAMS, AND PREVENTED THE DIVERSION OF
SENSITIVE U.S. TECHNOLOGY TO UNFRIENDLY NATIONS.
- 15 -
IN SHORT, ED DERWINSKI HAS THE SKILL OF A SEASONED
LEGISLATOR, THE PATIENCE OF A PRACTICED ADMINISTRATOR,
THE FINESSE OF A DIPLOMAT -- AND THE HEART OF A MAN WHO
KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO START HIS GOVERNMENT CAREER AS A
PRIVATE IN THE U.S. ARMY.
THIS IS A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND
SKILLS. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE JOB REQUIRES SOMEONE
WITH ED DERWINSKI'S BACKGROUND AND TALENTS.
- 16 -
THIS NEW DEPARTMENT MUST MANAGE ITS VAST RESOURCES
TO MEET VAST NEEDS. ALMOST ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE U.S.
CITIZENS IS A POTENTIAL V.A. BENEFICIARY. COUNT AMONG
THEM 27 MILLION VETERANS AND 53 MILLION DEPENDENTS AND
SURVIVORS.
ED WILL OVERSEE A DEPARTMENT WITH ALMOST A QUARTER
OF A MILLION EMPLOYEES -- THE SECOND LARGEST CIVILIAN
TASK FORCE IN THE GOVERNMENT -- ADMINISTERING A BUDGET
OF MORE THAN $29 BILLION.
- 17 -
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVIDES
COMPENSATION TO SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS, PENSIONS FOR
LOW-INCOME, DISABLED VETERANS AND SURVIVORS,
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION.
IT GUARANTEES THE HOME LOANS FOR 12 MILLION FAMILIES,
AND OPERATES THE FIFTH LARGEST LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM
IN AMERICA.
- 18 -
IT ALSO RUNS THE NATION'S LARGEST MEDICAL SYSTEM,
WITH 172 HOSPITALS, AND HUNDREDS OF OUTPATIENT CLINICS
AND NURSING HOMES.
BUT THE BEST RESOURCE OF THE NEW DEPARTMENT IS ITS
PEOPLE --MEN AND WOMEN WHO LIVE UP TO THE HIGHEST IDEAL
OF PUBLIC SERVICE EVERY DAY. THEY HAVE MY SINCEREST
GRATITUDE FOR A JOB WELL DONE.
- 19 -
IT IS ONLY APPROPRIATE TO NOTE ONE OTHER TASK
ASSIGNED TO THE VETERANS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT -- TO TEND
AND CARE FOR 112 NATIONAL CEMETERIES ACROSS AMERICA.
THERE IS NO POWER OR GLAMOUR IN SUCH A JOB. BUT THERE
IS CARING AND RESPECT -- FOR THOSE WHO ARE GONE, AND
FOR THOSE WHO GRIEVE.
- 20 -
IN THESE "GARDENS OF STONE" SLEEP THE HEROES -- MEN
AND WOMEN -- OF EVERY SERVICE, MARINE, SOLDIER, SAILOR,
AIRMAN; LOST YOUTH THAT CAN ONLY BE MEASURED IN
CENTURIES.
A PRESIDENT COULD HAVE NO MORE POIGNANT A REMINDER
THAT HE IS CHARGED WITH A GREAT TRUST.
- 21 -
IT IS MY DUTY, AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, TO SEE TO IT THAT
OUR ARMED FORCES ARE so STRONG, AND OUR DIPLOMACY so
WISE, THAT WE WILL NEVER AGAIN NEED TO ERECT ANOTHER
MONUMENT TO THE CASUALTIES OF WAR.
A FREE AMERICA IN A WORLD AT PEACE. TOGETHER, WE
HAVE ACHIEVED THAT GOAL. TOGETHER, WE CAN PRESERVE IT.
AND IF WE DO, THEN SURELY THAT PEACE WILL BE THE TRUEST
MONUMENT TO OUR VETERANS
- 22 -
ED, CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU
HAVE ALREADY DONE. WE'VE GOT A BIG JOB AHEAD. I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOU IN THE YEARS TO
COME.
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