 You're working for me. Hi, brother. It's a pleasure to welcome you today, Dr. Joe Shariff, and over to the annual session of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, which is your series of distinguished body from the private sector, chairman of the president, CEO's, ability to telecommunications industries in this country. We've already heard from the Secretary of Defense his own view of efforts in the past year to work together to assure that we can sustain our national security needs in a time of transition. I'll welcome you to your arrival. It's going to be a very active agenda here, sir. Well, I thank you. I'm very pleased to be here. I just proceed here, Donald. Yes, sir. All right. I didn't want to step on anyone's toes. Joe, I thank you. It's a pleasure, as I say, to see you all here again. And I want to congratulate you on this report and all the work in progress, which it represents. Our telecommunications system is the best in the world, yet it's sometimes taken for granted. And as president, I can pick up a phone and instantly be in communication with someone across the country or across the world. And a multitude of well-trained and dedicated individuals have made this possible. Sometimes, however, I've had to think twice. I remember picking up the phone, just simply asking for someone. And I got him. And it just happened to just out of curiosity, say, well, where did I get in the morning? I wanted to be able to say wrong number. But my call is rooted over a marvelous system that includes telephone lines, radio waves, optical fibers, or satellites. Some of the equipment is at the White House. Some on Air Force One. Spread among the operating centers and facilities of your companies. The bottom line is the connection gets made, as I've just indicated. When you stop to think about how that happens, you understand that what we're discussing is a vital national asset. We must ensure that nothing, neither threat nor emergency, impairs our nation's ability to communicate. The National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee plays a crucial role in this effort. Your advice and your cooperation make it possible to form the National Coordinating Center and to make it work. The dedication of the permanent facility for the National Coordinating Center early this year, less than two years after it was originally proposed, was truly a significant milestone. It's rare for such a project to go from vision to reality that quickly, especially in Washington. It just goes to show what we can accomplish when we work together toward the worthy goal of a stronger and safer America. The importance of this effort is that in these times of budget restraint, we're giving high priority to telecommunications survivability. But McFarland has kept me up to date about your concerns, such as enhancing the survivability of our commercial telecommunications network, defense against the effects of electromagnetic pulse, and telecommunications industry mobilization. And I have instructed Cap Weinberger to ensure that the national communication system follows through on your findings and renders you all necessary assistance in your deliberations. I'm sure that under General Power's able direction, they will continue to do so enthusiastically. Your combined knowledge and expertise are an invaluable resource, and we're grateful to have it. Our cooperation together is in the finest traditions of good citizenship and private sector public sector partnership. I view your work to protect our national security telecommunications from the hostile intelligence threat as a serious national security effort. Your personal interest and involvement are making a difference. I appreciate all you've done, and I urge you to maintain your high level of commitment. Exemplary of your energy and high standards has been Chairman Rand Arascog. He took charge of a new organization, and with impressive leadership, he's built a solid foundation for future progress. Joe Cherry, who stepped up in April of last year, has taken the bull by the horns and is now playing a leading role in shaping our country's telecommunications policy. Joe, you have my personal thanks for the contribution that you've made as chairman. You have guided this national security telecommunications advisory council skillfully, and under your leadership, great strides have been made. I'm confident that Ted Brophy, who's stepping into Joe's shoes, will keep the momentum going. Ted is taking over a fine organization with a proud record of service and achievement. Important issues have been addressed with skill and commitment. Other important issues remain to challenges, and I'm looking forward to working with Ted and the entire committee in meeting the challenge. Ted and our new vice chairman, Rocco Morano, have a tough act to follow, but I'm confident they too will make new strides. So to Joe and Ted, I want to say gentlemen, on behalf of your colleagues in the industry, I'd like to give you two small tokens of our esteem. For you, Joe, a symbol of the kind of leadership and direction you've provided, and for you, Ted, something that might be useful in the job. Now, if you'll both join me over here at the end of the tape. Joe, this is for dedicated service to the United States of America as chairman. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I appreciate it very much. Ted, this one isn't mounted because this is for use. You're coming, Joe. Just swing it at the table, not at your companions. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Mr. President, we are indebted to you for all the contributions that you've made and the inspiration you've given to this committee. Although I am leaving both this chair and the membership of the committee, I will continue to follow the interests of this activity as long as I am around. It's been a great pleasure to work with so many dedicated people from the industry and particularly from the government in this rather unique blend of combination of talents from both government and industry. I think it's a rather unique blend, and it proves what our system can do when private industry and government get together and work towards a common national objective. And I think that your personal interest in the subject and your attendance at these meetings has meant the difference between a first class effort and one that might not be quite up to what we would expect. And in my role as chairman and chief executive of commset, I've had the opportunity to travel all around the world and to negotiate and interact with communications people from practically every political system imaginable. And I just want to say, Mr. President, that wherever I've gone, the new respect that the United States enjoys becomes very, very clear. And it is certainly a credit to your leadership. And we welcome the support that you have given to our activities. And we will continue to do our best to ensure that this country can be proud of all its activities. And it is certainly a good feeling to be an American again and to feel this resurgence of respect that the United States enjoys around the world. Thank you, Mr. President, for the privilege of allowing me to serve. Well, thank you. Thank you for all you've done. Mr. President, I don't know whether the weight of this brass gavel is symbolic of the weight of responsibilities that NSTAC carries, but I can assure you with the high quality people we have serving on this committee that we'll do everything we can to satisfy your needs. Thank you, Mr. President. I know you will. And thank you all. This is really a solid and one of the better of the advisory commissions that we have in government and confirms my longtime belief that the partnership of the private sector is the only way for government to operate. As a matter of fact, we kind of have a saying around here that if we start talking about government as we, instead of they, we've been here too long. Thank you, Mr. President.