Remarks at Groundbreaking Ceremonies at the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Senator Case, Senator Williams, Governor Brendan Byrne, Congressman Hughes, Director Bob Faith, Chairman Al Marks, all the members of the New Jersey congressional delegation who are assembled here this morning, wonderful workers at the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center, NAFEC :

I want to say how glad I am to be with you on this momentous occasion.

When I ran for President 2 years ago, I didn't carry all the districts in New Jersey, but I carried this one by a very strong majority. When I left the White House earlier this morning, my wife reminded me that the reason was that I did not come to the Second District during the campaign, she came here. [Laughter] And I thank you for that expression of confidence in my wife.

It is a good day for the world. It's a good day for our Nation. It's a good day for New Jersey. It's a good day for this community. I'm delighted to be here to participate in breaking ground for NAFEC's new building program.

Four years ago, I was the national chairman for the Democratic Party's election campaign. And when Bill Hughes first ran for Congress, many people said that if this young man is elected to the Congress, we will never have a chance to have NAFEC stay here where it is. Well, I think because you elected him to the Congress, NAFEC is not only here but it's being greatly expanded for the benefit of you and for our country as well. And I want to express my special thanks to him.

He has worked long, hard, difficult, grueling hours with administration officials and the FAA, other Members of Congress, to recruit support for this effort. The entire New Jersey delegation helped him strongly in the House of Representatives. And as you well know, Senators Williams and Case were responsible for getting the project approved on the Senate side.

Thanks should also go to others who have already been mentioned—Bob Faith was helpful, of course, as was the Save NAFEC Committee, Mayor Lazarow, Al Marks, Robert Gasko, Chuck Worthington, Louis Dalberth, State Senator Perskie,¹ all of Atlantic County joined in with you in helping to achieve this great victory which was fought under the most difficult circumstances. It shows that a team effort pays off.

¹ Robert Faith, director, National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center, Joseph Lazarow, mayor of Atlantic City, Al Marks, chairman of the Atlantic County Improvement Authority, Robert Gasko, Atlantic County Freeholder, Charles Worthington, Atlantic County Executive, Louis Dalberth, director, Southern New Jersey Development Council, and Stephen Perskie, New Jersey State senator.

All of you can be very proud of your role in keeping NAFEC in this State. And I think more importantly for me than the location of it is the tremendous approval for expansion of this much-needed facility. The struggle was tough, the frustrations were many, but in the end the efforts of you and your representatives triumphed. And I'm glad to join with you this morning in saying that you will not be wearing Oklahoma cowboy hats after all. [Laughter]

Today, we in the United States are reaffirming our commitment to safe and efficient civilian aviation. And we are showing our faith also in New Jersey's ability to carry out this very difficult assignment. We are laying the cornerstone for a permanent, expanded presence of NAFEC here in New Jersey.

In the short run, this construction project will mean 1,800 to 2,000 jobs right here on the site. In addition, at least that many more will be engendered around this community for supportive construction projects. The direct investment here will be $50 million, which will mean at least $200 million in benefits, direct or indirect, to this community.

More importantly, though, in the long run, a permanent, more modern experimental center for ensuring aviation safety will mean the economic stability of this area and a better life for all the people of our country. By providing better services for testing, for research and development in areas like air traffic control, communications, navigation, airports, aircraft, we are making sure that the science of aviation keeps pace with a society whose people more and more turn to air travel to meet the needs of their lives.

Throughout its 20 years of existence and service, this facility has led the way in developing new technologies for civilian enterprise, which has given our Nation the safest possible record in the air of all modes of transportation. Its experiments here have made possible innovations in such areas as crash techniques, rescue techniques, fire safety, airway-runway designs, lighting systems, structural stress; also weight turbulence, radar, and many others of a similar benefit to American people. These innovations for which the Nation thanks you must continue.

The financing of this Phase II of NAFEC's expansion has been extremely innovative, and, of course, it's complicated. But I think we all realize now the value of this lease-back arrangement. Because of it, we are saving the taxpayers $7 1/2 million.

This is a good day today, but 21 months from now, when the new technical and administrative complex is completed, all of you will more fully realize just exactly what your great efforts have yielded, both for this area and also for our country.

But even today it's clear that when committed and dedicated and competent people work together on a good project, when they refuse to give up hope even under the most difficult and discouraging circumstances, when they keep pushing forward for what they know is right, they cannot lose. This groundbreaking is living proof that what I've just said is true.

I thank you very much for what you've done for yourselves, your neighbors, your State, and your country.

Thank you.