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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release February 12, 1998

                      STATEMENT OF VICE PRESIDENT GORE
                     ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY REPORT
                      ON AVIATION SAFETY AND SECURITY

One year ago today, I presented to President Clinton the Final Report of the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security, which I was honored to chair. Today, I am pleased to receive from Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater the one-year anniversary report, which details the progress of the entire aviation community in implementing the recommendations.

The Commission's Final Report began with one word: "Change." This status report indicates that the aviation community has indeed changed in the year since the Final Report was issued.

The Final Report was divided into four categories: improving aviation safety, making air traffic control safer and more efficient, improving security for travelers, and responding to aviation disasters. We have made great progress in all of those areas.

In particular, I was pleased to see in the status report that the Federal Government has fully implemented 15 of the recommendations and has made solid progress in implementing the remaining recommendations. I also want to recognize Congress' work in ensuring that the Federal Government has the appropriate resources to carry out this task.

I want to specifically recognize the work of the Transportation Department because the great majority of the recommendations were directed to that Department, and to the Federal Aviation Administration in particular. I applaud Secretary Slater for his leadership and his team for putting the Commission's recommendations into practice.