The SIU and its affiliated training facility received accolades from President Bush on Labor Day, as the commander-in-chief stopped in Piney Point, Md. to deliver an upbeat speech in which he also expressed strong support for the U.S. maritime industry.
SIU President Michael Sacco introduced President Bush, whose administration consistently has backed the U.S. Merchant Marine.The outdoor Labor Day address took place shortly before noon Sept. 4 at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, with approximately 700 students, staff members, industry representatives and other guests in the audience. President Bush flew in Marine One from Washington, D.C. to the Southern Maryland campus, where he toured the simulator building— including a turn at the wheel inside the full mission bridge simulator—and then addressed the crowd near the shore, by the training vessel Osprey. He was flanked on stage by unlicensed apprentices, upgraders and students enrolled in NCL America training at the Paul Hall Center.
Afterward, President Bush leisurely met with students and others from the audience, posing for photos, shaking hands and signing autographs. He mingled for nearly 30 minutes, an unusually long time according to individuals who have attended other White House events.
In a brief but enthusiastic introduction, SIU President Sacco described President Bush as “a true friend of the U.S. Merchant Marine. His leadership has created thousands and thousands of jobs in the U.S.-flag fleet, which in turn has improved America’s national and economic security.”
President Bush wasted no time expressing his admiration for both the union and the school.
“I didn’t realize how strong your facilities are,” he stated. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is a fantastic facility. It speaks to your leadership, and the leadership and the importance of your union. And so, here on Labor Day, I say to the union members who are here, happy Labor Day, and thanks for supporting leadership that is progressive, smart, capable, and has your best interests at heart.”
Describing his firsthand experience in the bridge simulator and his tour of the engine simulator, President Bush called it “one of the most amazing training tools I have ever seen. It shows this union’s commitment, along with industry’s commitment, to making sure that those who pilot the boats (and) those who are engineers on the boats have the absolute best training possible.
“I applaud the Seafarers Union and I applaud the employers working together to make sure that those who work for a living have what it takes to be competitive. We’ve got to make sure that’s the case throughout all the work force.”
Speaking of the nation’s maritime policies, he added, “It’s important for presidents to embrace the Jones Act. I have, (for) five-and-a-half years as the president, supported the Jones Act and will continue to do so.”
During the rest of his 11-minute, nationally televised remarks, President Bush discussed what he described as pro-growth economic policies that promote job expansion, including tax relief. He touched on the need for less reliance on foreign oil and the concurrent importance of developing technologies for energy sources.
In an apparent nod toward fair trade, he also stated, “One of the ways to make sure that we’re a competitive nation is to continue opening up markets for U.S. products. If I was somebody who was driving a ship or an engineer on a ship, I’d want to hear a president say, ‘We want you to be selling U.S. products—transporting U.S. products around the world.’ And my message to the world is this: Just treat us the way we treat you. That’s all we expect. We just want the rules to be fair—because I believe this country can compete with anybody, any time, anywhere, so long as the rules are fair.”
Early in his speech, President Bush noted that he had been scheduled to visit the school on Labor Day 2005, but had to cancel that trip due to Hurricane Katrina. He said he was “thrilled” to be invited again and “couldn’t wait to say yes.”
He credited American workers with helping make the U.S. “the economic leader in the world” and asserted that proper training is vital to the nation’s wellbeing. “It starts with making sure our workers have the skills necessary to compete in the 21st century. That’s one of the primary reasons I came to this facility.”
###
Printer Friendly Page