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1252249
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3/7/75 - Swearing-in Ceremony of William Coleman
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1252249
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document
title
3/7/75 - Swearing-in Ceremony of William Coleman
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Presidential appointments
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1252249
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7
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1975-03-07
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3
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1975
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7
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1975-03-07
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3
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 6, folder "3/7/75 - Swearing-in Ceremony of
William Coleman" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 6 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN def
SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF WILLIAM COLEMAN
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1975
- 1 -
MR. SECRETARY, YOU HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUR FOR YOU.
THE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS OF YOUR DEPARTMENT WILL
PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE AS THIS NATION PROCEEDS TOWARD ENERGY
INDEPENDENCE.
TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTS FOR OVER FIFTY PERCENT
OF OUR TOTAL PETROLEUM USE.
TO ATTAIN THE GOAL OF ENERGY
INDEPENDENCE, WE NEED STRONG ASSISTANCE FROM THE TRANSPORTATION
SECTOR.
- 2 -
IN JANUARY, I SIGNED A BILL MAKING THE FIFTY-FIVE
MILES-PER-HOUR SPEED LIMIT MANDATORY.
IT CONTAINS TOUGH
PROVISIONS so THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION CAN ENSURE
STRICT ENFORCEMENT BY THE STATES.
THE STATE GOVERNMENTS
WILL SOON BE CERTIFYING TO YOU THAT THEY ARE ENFORCING THE
SPEED LIMIT PRIOR TO FUTURE RELEASE OF FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDS.
STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF THE FIFTY-FIVE MILES-PER-HOUR LIMIT
IS ESSENTIAL.
IT WILL SAVE LIVES AS WELL AS ENERGY.
I WILL LOOK TO YOU FOR STERN BUT EQUITABLE ENFORCEMENT.
- 3 -
YOU WILL ALSO BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH MY ENERGY
AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORS TO IMPROVE THE FUEL EFFICIENCY
OF AUTOMOBILES PRODUCED IN THIS COUNTRY.
I AM
DETERMINED TO REACH THE GOAL OF A FORTY PERCENT IMPROVEMENT
BY 1979 IN THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF NEW CARS SOLD IN THIS
COUNTRY.
- 4 -
ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART OF OUR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM
AFFECTS ENERGY.
IT IS THE NATIONAL MASS TRANSPORTATION
ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1974 I SIGNED IN NOVEMBER.
I WORKED FOR
PASSAGE OF THIS BILL IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE NINETY-THIRD CONGRESS
AND I AM LOOKING TO YOU FOR VIGOROUS IMPLEMENTATION.
- 5 -
IT PROVIDES ELEVEN POINT EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT
SIX YEARS FOR MASS TRANSIT.
THIS MEANS THAT WE WILL BE
SPENDING IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR ALMOST SEVENTY PERCENT MORE
FEDERAL FUNDS FOR MASS TRANSIT THAN WE SPENT IN THE LAST FISCAL
YEAR.
-6-
WE MUST TAKE STEPS TO SAVE THE NATION'S RAILROADS.
THE UNITED STATES DESPERATELY NEEDS ITS RAILROADS TO TRANSPORT
THE VAST QUANTITY OF GOODS IN A FUEL-EFFICIENT MANNER
NECESSARY FOR OUR ECONOMY TO SURVIVE AND PROSPER.
RAILROADS ARE AN IMPORTANT MOVER OF ENERGY, ESPECIALLY COAL,
AND WE WILL NEED TO DOUBLE OUR COAL OUTPUT BY 1985.
RAILROADS WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN HELPING US TO
OBTAIN OUR ENERGY OBJECTIVES.
-7-
WORKING WITH YOU, MR. SECRETARY,
I PLAN TO SUBMIT TO THE CONGRESS OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL WEEKS VERY IMPORTANT LEGISLATION IN THE
TRANSPORTATION AREA.
I WILL PROPOSE A NEW
HIGHWAY BILL WHICH WILL SET FORTH A REVISED HIGHWAY
PROGRAM THROUGH THE YEAR 1980.
ALSO, THE FEDERAL
AIRPORT PROGRAM EXPIRES ON JUNE 30.
I WILL PROPOSE
MAJOR REVISIONS IN THE AIRPORT AND AVIATION PROGRAMS.
- 8 -
ANOTHER IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE WHICH
THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL BE SUBMITTING TO THE CONGRESS
CONCERNS REFORM OF THE ECONOMIC REGULATION OF TRANSPORTATION
BY THE INDEPENDENT FEDERAL AGENCIES.
REGULATORY REFORM
IS CRITICAL IF WE ARE TO REDUCE THE RATE OF INFLATION WHICH
INFLICTS THIS NATION. NOTHING IS WORSE THAN INFLATION
CAUSED BY GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS.
-9-
MR. SECRETARY, I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME
YOU INTO ONE OF THE TOUGHEST CABINET POSTS IN
GOVERNMENT -- AND TO WISH YOU SUCCESS AS
WE WORK TOGETHER.
NOW, IF YOU STILL WANT THE JOB,
I WILL ASK MR. JUSTICE MARSHALL TO PLEASE ADMINISTER
THE OATH.
END OF TEXT