Statement of Ronald H. Brown: At hearings on his nomination to be Secretary of Commerce before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Jan. 6, 1993 - Transcript

Business America, Feb 8, 1993

Mr. Chairman, Senator Danforth, members of the Committee ... I would like to take a few minutes to give you a sense of the values I bring to this challenge and the direction I hope to take at the Department of Commerce as a member of President-elect Clinton's Cabinet and economic team.

When nominating me to be Secretary of Commerce, President-elect Clinton, indicated he wanted to make the Department a "powerhouse," and that he expected it to play "a more visible and powerful role in rebuilding the American economy." I look forward to the task of working with you to ensure that Commerce is indeed a forceful advocate for America's commercial interests--in trade, in technology, and in economic development.

Two values have defined my life: optimism and pragmatism--I hope both will serve me well at the Department of Commerce. My story is yet another testament to the opportunity and greatness of this nation. I grew up in Harlem and then attended college on a scholarship--ROTC and waiting tables helped me earn spending money. My first job after college was as a New York City welfare caseworker, while attending law school at night. I proudly served in the U.S. Army in Germany and Korea, and then spent 12 years at the National Urban League as a civil rights advocate. I served as Chief Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and then practiced law. In 1989, I was elected Chairman of the Democratic Party. At each and every stage of my career, I have worked to transform principles into actions and concrete results.

I have learned that no goal is beyond our reach if we are focused and forceful in its pursuit. I am proud of my successes, and look forward to applying all of my experience to the challenges that lie ahead.

I have found that focusing pragmatically on the task at hand is the best way to build bridges and make progress. As Chairman of the Democratic Party, I brought divergent interests together. As the advocate of American commerce, I will bring that same approach to the Department, reaching across old lines of division between business, government, and labor. President-elect Clinton is making this a focal point of his Administration's economic agenda, particularly in areas directly related to the Department of Commerce. Expanded technology programs must center on industry-led, market-driven partnerships; modernization and recommitment to NOAA's mission can help avoid false choices between the environment and economic growth; creative, new business development efforts will bring sustained growth to minority business and disadvantaged communities.

I would like to assure the Republican members of this Committee that I know that I will need your support and your advice; I will seek every opportunity to work with you in advancing Commerce's important mission.

The Department of Commerce's central mission must be to promote long-term economic growth. Other members of the National Economic Council will keep the macroeconomic, budget, and tax policies in constant focus; as Secretary of Commerce my goal will be to make sure that America's commercial interests are represented vigorously in every arena. As a member of the National Economic Council, I will work to develop international trade policy, technology policy, and business development approaches that aggressively advance our country's economic prospects and create jobs for our people. The lion's share of the responsibility for economic growth lies with the private sector, but this should not blind us to the importance of government policies in encouraging economic strength.

We must strengthen America's industrial and technological leadership. AlthougH the United States is a leader in basic research, we have often lagged in commercialization of new technologies. As you have pointed out, Mr. Chairman, it seems that too often the United States gets the Nobel Prize, while others get the profits.

And we must reinvigorate U.S. trade policy by promoting expanded trade, by working to open foreign markets, and by responding vigorously to unfair foreign trade practices.

As the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, I will also strongly support meaningful programs that increase opportunities for minority businesses. Minority businesses, which are mainly small businesses, can play a vital role in the economic growth of our country, but only if they are afforded the chance to take advantage of business opportunities in both domestic and international marketplaces.

In the answers I have submitted to this Committee's written questions, I have set out my thoughts about the Department and its challenges in more detail. One point I would like to emphasize, however, it is that I will be relentlessly pragmatic in advancing the health and growth of the American economy. The question before us is how best to design trade, technology, and development policies; not theoretical arguments over whether or not to have them.

Action, not ideology, will be my watchword.

Working with the talented, experienced, and dedicated employees of the Commerce Department, we must find new and better ways of doing the business of the Commerce Department. This Administration will call for expanding the National Institute of Science and Technology budget, but the dollars will be spent on targeted, innovative programs. We cannot stop at the bargaining table when we negotiate open markets; we must develop policies to help our firms capitalize on these negotiating successes. NOAA's critical functions in research, resource management, and weather prediction must receive the attention and support they deserve.