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FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
LS-964Thank you, Commissioner Kelly. It is a privilege to join you and the men and women of the Customs Service in honoring the recipients of this year's Commissioner's Awards.
We are very fortunate to have Ray Kelly as Commissioner of Customs. He has worked extremely hard to make the Customs Service stronger and more productive than ever before. Secretary Summers and I hold him in the highest regard. I commend Under Secretary Jim Johnson and Assistant Secretary Elisabeth Bresee for their close collaboration with the Commissioner and Customs, and for their stewardship of the Bureaus under their jurisdiction.
I want all of you who work for Customs to know that we at Treasury are pleased and proud of the way you are performing your responsibilities. We thank you for your dedicated service and for upholding the laws of the United States. Customs is the oldest and largest law enforcement bureau in this country. It has some of the most difficult assignments. I have had the opportunity to visit Customs facilities over the past year. Each of my meetings, whether here or in the field, has increased my admiration for the work you do. You serve with distinction and pride as the guardians of our country's borders. You help facilitate the ever-increasing trade in goods which has been such an important part of our economic success. You prevent illegal drugs and other contraband from entering our country. The seizure of bomb-making materials and capture and arrest of a terrorist at Port Angeles in the State of Washington the end of last year shows how the Customs Service stands on the frontlines, protecting our nation. The success of Operation Journey, the multinational investigation that brought down one of the largest drug- smuggling organizations ever targeted by law enforcement shows the way in which Customs is the leading the drug interdiction effort.
But Customs is much more than these high profile missions, important as they are. To most Americans, and to millions of foreigners who visit our country every year, Customs is the agency that performs border inspections. Here, too, there have been impressive improvements in the speed, efficiency, and courtesy of the process. Go to Miami International, LAX or JFK airports today. You will see a lot of travelers, tired from a long, uncomfortable flight, surrounded by their baggage and often little children. They want nothing more than to get home. Listen to the inspectors say welcome back to our citizens. Watch them do their job swiftly, with patience and competence, aided by up-to-date equipment, separating the millions of law-abiding citizens from the few who may pose a problem. That is the face Customs shows to Americans today. and all of you can take pride in what they see. I want to add that your response to the difficult issue of personal search should be a source of pride to all of you, from the Commissioner on down. You all have shown that effective law enforcement can go hand in hand with a thoughtful response to public concerns.
I know you will continue to build on these successes. Everyone on this stage today realizes that the lion's share of the credit for this outstanding record goes to you-the men and women who work the ports, process the cargo, assess the duties, investigate the smuggling, and manage a huge agency with a diverse work force. The motto of Customs is Tradition, Honor, Service. You have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to these principles in your daily work.
Customs is also moving strongly into a new century. A new, national Steel Center has been opened in Chicago to monitor steel imports. A state-of-the-art CyberSmuggling Center has opened in Virginia to track Internet crime. A task force has been created to combat worldwide trafficking of the synthetic drug ecstasy. The NIPS profiling system has been deployed to all Field Intelligence Units to spot possible criminal activity such as money laundering in large-scale movements of currency and commodities. These are very recent initiatives, and they owe their existence to the hard work, careful planning and ingenuity of so many of you.
Today we recognize employees who have distinguished themselves through exceptional performance. Our honorees have, among other accomplishments, helped shut down major smuggling operations, both inbound and outbound; preserved the integrity of the Service by investigating sensitive allegations of corruption; developed innovated procedures and technology to improve port operations; and even saved the life of a hostage. They and their families can be proud of the recognition they have worked so hard to achieve.
Only a few employees each year can receive the Commissioner's awards. But all of you can take satisfaction in the fact that you are able to meet the Bureau's high standards each and every working day. So on behalf of Secretary Summers and the Treasury Department, I want to thank all of you for a job well done, and congratulate the recipients of this year's Commissioner's awards for their outstanding work and for the example they have set for the entire federal government. Your country is deeply grateful.
Thank you.