[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
[October 2, 2001]
[Pages 1181-1183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Announcing the Reopening of Ronald Reagan Washington National 
Airport in Arlington, Virginia
October 2, 2001

    The President. Thank you all. Governor, thank you very much. I am here to make an announcement 
that this Thursday, ticket counters and airplanes will fly out of Ronald 
Reagan Airport. The ticket counters will be open for business. We will 
start a schedule of airplane flights that will reflect the new and tight 
security concerns that all Americans share. Ronald Reagan Airport is 
very important for our local economy, but it's also a national symbol, 
as the Governor mentioned. So Thursday, flights will resume.
    I want to thank all the captains and flight attendants and 
maintenance folks and ticket counter personnel, people who make this 
good airport run, for your patience and understanding.

[[Page 1182]]

    We're doing the right thing. We've taken our time. We can assure the 
American public as best as we can that we're taking the necessary safety 
precautions. Now it's time to start flying again.
    I want to thank the Governor of Virginia for his hard work and concern about the working people in 
this part of the State. I want to thank Secretary Norm Mineta, the Transportation Secretary, for working hard to 
bring people together, to bring sensible policy to airports all across 
America. He's been working overtime. That's what we expect from the 
Secretary of Transportation during this period of time. And I'm proud of 
the work he's done.
    I want to thank the Mayor of Washington, DC, for being here. The Mayor's a good, solid man. I want to 
thank Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton 
from Washington, DC, for being here as well. Two United States Senators 
from the State of Virginia, John Warner and 
George Allen, have been deeply concerned about 
this airport. Members of the congressional delegation, Tom Davis, Jim Moran, and Frank 
Wolf, as well, have been working hard with us 
to come up with reasonable, sound policies to get the Reagan Airport 
started. I'm glad you all are here, as well as Connie Morella from the neighboring State of Maryland.
    There really is no greater symbol that America's back in business 
than the reopening of this airport. After all, this is the airport that 
brings our Nation's leaders to Washington to do the people's business. 
It's the airport that welcomes millions of tourists to our Nation's 
Capital. And of course, the Mayor would 
want me to say, we want the tourists coming back to see our great 
monuments.
    But one of the things those of us who live in the area understand, 
this airport is really important for the local economy as well. There's 
a lot of people, a lot of small-business people, a lot of people who 
service the airport, obviously a lot of people who work here, depend 
upon this airport being open. And I understand that. And I appreciate 
once again your patience and understanding, as our Nation obviously is 
dealing with a tragedy, the likes of which we never envisioned.
    I also know full well that the Nation is asking this question: Are 
we taking the necessary safety precautions as we open not only Ronald 
Reagan Airport but other airports? The answer is, you bet. We sure are. 
We're spending a lot of time consulting with local officials to make 
sure that the security that all of us expect is in place. Not only have 
we worked with Members of the Congress to develop what we hope is a 
security plan that will enhance confidence from the traveling public, 
but we work with local officials as well to make sure this airport has 
got the toughest security measures possible.
    We also, as you well know, are increasing the number of air 
marshals, armed marshals on airplanes. They'll be undercover--let me 
rephrase that--they'll be wearing civilian clothes. [Laughter] They will 
blend in. But we'll have many more air marshals on flights. It should 
send two signals: One to the American public that there will be 
protection; and to somebody who thinks they can disrupt America, we're 
watching for you; we're paying attention to you.
    Every person who gets on an airplane, who goes to work, who takes 
their family to visit relatives, is taking a stand against terrorism. 
You see, the terrorists, they want to intimidate America. The 
terrorists, by conducting their evil deeds, wanted our Nation to stop. 
But they underestimated our spirit, didn't they?
    Audience member. Yes, they did.
    The President. Yes, they made a mistake. And the spirit is strong in 
America. Our confidence is strong.
    We've put together a coalition of nations that says terrorism won't 
stand. We've got our military alert--on alert for a reason: Terrorism 
won't stand. We're cutting off their money, because we're saying 
terrorism won't stand.

[[Page 1183]]

    And we're saying that at home as well. People who travel say 
terrorism is not going to intimidate us. Tonight I've asked the 
Mayor to go out to dinner with me, on a 
Washington--here in the District. He said he's going so long as I pay. 
[Laughter] You've got a deal. [Laughter]
    When people go to ball games, they're sending a signal. I mean, we 
got struck hard on September the 11th. All of us know that. But you 
can't strike the American spirit. It's strong. It's vibrant. It's 
united. And by opening this airport, we're making yet another statement 
to the terrorists: You can't win.
    Thank you all for being here. God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:52 a.m. at Terminal C, north pier of the 
airport. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. James S. Gilmore III of 
Virginia, and Mayor Anthony A. Williams of Washington, DC.