    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [November 3, 2001]
    [Pages 1345-1346]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1345]]

    The President's Radio Address
    November 3, 2001

        Good morning. As all Americans know, recent weeks have brought a
    second wave of terrorist attacks upon our country, deadly anthrax spores
    sent through the U.S. mail. There's no precedent for this type of
    biological attack, and I'm proud of the way our law enforcement
    officers, our health care and postal workers, and the American people
    are responding in the face of this new threat.
        At this point in our investigation, we have identified several
    different letters that contained anthrax spores. Among them were the
    letters mailed to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle on Capitol Hill, NBC News in New York, and the New York
    Post newspaper. Four Americans have died as a result of these acts of
    terrorism. At least 13 others have developed forms of anthrax disease,
    either in the lungs or, less severely, on the skin.
        Public health officials have acted quickly to distribute antibiotics
    to people who may have been exposed to anthrax. When anthrax exposure is
    caught early, preventative treatment is effective. Anthrax can be
    treated with many antibiotics, and several pharmaceutical companies have
    offered medicine at reduced prices. The Government is swiftly testing
    post offices and other sites for anthrax spores and is closing them
    where potential threats to health are detected. We are working to
    protect people based on the best information available.
        And as we deal with this new threat, we are learning new information
    every day. Originally, experts believed the anthrax spores could not
    escape from sealed envelopes. We now know differently, because of cases
    where postal workers were exposed even though the envelopes they
    processed were not open. Anthrax apparently can be transferred from one
    letter to another, or from a letter to mail sorting equipment. But
    anthrax is not contagious, so it does not spread from human to human the
    way a cold or a flu can. Anthrax can be killed by sterilization, and the
    Postal Service is purchasing sterilizing equipment to be installed
    across the country.
        More than 30 billion pieces of mail have moved through the Postal
    Service since September the 11th, so we believe the odds of any one
    piece of mail being tainted are very low. But still, people should take
    appropriate precautions: Look carefully at your mail before opening it;
    tell your doctor if you believe you may have been exposed to anthrax. An
    excellent summary of the symptoms of this disease can be found on the
    web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov.
    Remember, doctors warn that you can put your health at risk by taking
    antibiotics when you don't need them, so use antibiotics only after
    consulting a health care professional.
        If you see anything suspicious or have useful information, please
    contact law enforcement authorities. The Postal Service and the FBI have
    offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the
    arrest and the conviction of the anthrax terrorists.
        And those who believe this is an opportunity for a prank should know
    that sending false alarms is a serious criminal offense. At least 20
    individuals have already been arrested for anthrax hoaxes, and we will
    pursue anyone who tries to frighten their fellow Americans in this cruel
    way.
        We do not yet know who sent the anthrax, whether it was the same
    terrorists who committed the attacks on September the 11th or whether it
    was the--other international or domestic terrorists. We do know that
    anyone who would try to infect other people with anthrax is guilty of an
    act of terror. We will solve these crimes, and we will punish those
    responsible. As

    [[Page 1346]]

    we learn more about these anthrax attacks, the Government will share the
    confirmed and credible information we have with you. I'm proud of our
    citizens' calm and reasoned response to this ongoing terrorist attack.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 1:07 p.m. on November 2 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November 3. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    November 2 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office
    of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of
    the address.