    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [June 11, 2002]
    [Pages 957-958]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With Congressional Leaders and an Exchange
    With Reporters
    June 11, 2002

    Department of Homeland Security

        The President. It's my honor to welcome the leadership of the
    Congress here to the--to the Cabinet Room to discuss the creation of the
    Department of Homeland Security. We've had a really good discussion
    about the need to move forward with this idea.
        I'll let the leaders speak for themselves later on, but I--what I've
    heard is, there's a commitment to get this done in a way that takes any
    partisanship out of the issue and at the same time strives for a date
    certain--Congressman Gephardt suggested
    that we can get this done, or should try to get this done, by September
    the 11th. The Speaker spoke out about the
    need to work toward getting it done as soon as possible, as did Senator
    Daschle and Senator Lott.
        And my message here is, we want to work as closely as we can with
    the Congress to achieve this significant change and to leave behind a
    legacy for future Presidents and future Congresses, the legacy of a
    department that will work in close coordination to secure the homeland.
        We're in for a long struggle in this war on terror, and there are
    people that still want to harm America. And we have an obligation to our
    citizens to work together to do everything we can to protect the people.
    That commitment is shared by Republican and Democrat alike. And I'm
    thankful for the leadership that the Members here have shown, and I'm
    thankful for the good ideas that have been shared with our
    administration as we developed our vision of the Department of Homeland
    Security.
        I'll answer a couple of questions, then we've got to get going. Yes,
    Sonya [Sonya Ross, Associated Press].

     Arrest of Abdullah al Muhajir

        Q. Sir, in the reporting on yesterday's belatedly announced arrest
    of Jose Padilla, it's come out that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
    has 107 radiation sources missing or stolen just since March 31st. Do
    you have any reason to believe that those samples or sources are not in
    Al Qaida or terrorist hands?
        The President. We will run down every lead, every hint. This guy
    Padilla's a bad guy, and he is where he needs to be, detained.

    [[Page 958]]

        Q. Mr. President, given the conspiratorial nature necessary to make
    a dirty bomb or any such device, can we anticipate from you any
    announcements related to this case, any additional arrests, any
    additional people in custody or in----
        The President. As we run down these killers or would-be killers,
    we'll let you know. And this guy Padilla is one of many who we've
    arrested. As I said in the speech to West Point, the coalition we put
    together has hauled in over 2,400 people, and you can call it 2,401 now.
        And there's--there's just a full-scale manhunt on. And Padilla's
    where he needs to be.
        David [David Gregory, NBC News].

    Domestic Reaction to Terrorists

        Q. Mr. President, do you feel like the American people have grown
    complacent at all about the threat we face? And do you feel like the
    apprehension of Padilla is something of a wake-up call? And should it
    be?
        The President. First of all, the American people are not complacent.
    They're patient, tough, determined, and they recognize we're fighting
    the first battle of the new wars of the 21st century. The Members of
    Congress are certainly not complacent. They are--they reflect their
    States or their constituencies, and they know we've got a battle on our
    hands.
        I'm real proud of the American people. I'm proud of how the American
    people have responded. I'm proud of how strong the American people are,
    and I appreciate the compassion of the American people too.
        Last question. Patsy [Patricia Wilson, Reuters].

    Situation in South Asia

        Q. New subject--is the threat of war between India and Pakistan
    over, do you think? And what's the next step?
        The President. Well, we've made progress in defusing a very tense
    situation. And I want to thank all the countries who have been--which
    have been sending representatives to India and Pakistan to try to
    persuade both leaders that it's--war would be a disaster.
        And so the situation is getting better. But so long as there's
    troops amassed and people are still hostile toward each other, there's
    always a threat that something could happen. But I'm pleased with the
    progress we've made, and we'll continue to work the issue.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:17 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Abdullah al Muhajir, formerly
    known as Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen and suspected terrorist who was
    arrested on May 8 in Chicago, IL.