    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [February 15, 2003]
    [Pages 179-180]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    February 15, 2003

        Good morning. Last week the national terrorist threat level was
    raised to ``high.'' This is primarily a signal to Federal, State, and
    local law enforcement to take additional precautions and increase
    security measures against potential terrorist attacks. Raising the
    threat level also informs the general public to be more alert to their
    surroundings and prepared for possible emergencies in the event of an
    attack.
        Americans should go about their lives. And for those seeking
    specific guidance on how to be more vigilant, I encourage you to visit
    the Department of Homeland Security web site at dhs.gov.
        These recent threats are a stark reminder that our country remains
    engaged in a war on terror. Our enemies are still determined to attack
    America, and there is no such thing as perfect security against a hidden
    network of killers. Yet, I assure you that our government at every level
    is responding to this threat, working to track down every lead and
    standing watch 24 hours a day against terrorism.
        This past week, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge issued strategic plans to protect our critical
    infrastructure. These plans will guide local officials in securing our
    Nation's dams and powerplants, electrical grids, computer networks, and
    communications systems.
        Our effort to safeguard the homeland includes tighter security at
    the borders and ports of entry. We have posted more than 50,000 newly
    trained Federal screeners at airports. We have begun inoculating troops
    and first-responders against smallpox. We are deploying the Nation's
    first early warning network of sensors to detect biological attack. And
    we are moving to better coordinate the efforts of law enforcement.
        This week at FBI headquarters, I spoke to some of the fine men and
    women who are leading our antiterrorism efforts in law enforcement and
    intelligence. The FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, and
    Department of Defense are working together as never before to assemble
    and analyze the threat information so we can act before our enemies can
    strike us.
        We are gathering the best information possible and using it to make
    sure the right people are in the right places to protect our citizens.
    Throughout the country, Joint Terrorism Task Forces are bringing
    together Federal, State, and local officials to fight terrorism. The FBI
    is expanding its terrorist identification system so that 18,000 State
    and local law enforcement agencies will be able to identify known or
    suspected terrorists almost immediately. Local police will be able to
    access Federal terrorist information from their squad cars to determine
    whether individuals they have pulled over or detained have terrorist
    links.
        I've also asked Congress to fill a critical need in our defense
    against bioterror by committing almost $6 billion to quickly make
    available effective vaccines and treatments against agents like
    smallpox, anthrax, botulinum toxin, Ebola, and plague.
        Our Nation is preparing for a variety of threats we hope never will
    arrive. Many of these dangers are unfamiliar and unsettling. Yet the
    best way to fight these dangers is to anticipate them and act against
    them with focus and determination. This vigilance is a fundamental
    responsibility of

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    your Government, and we are fulfilling that duty in every way we can.
        In the fight against terror, the American people are resolute. We
    will persevere, and we will prevail.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 10:15 a.m. on February 14 in the
    Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on February
    15. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on February 14 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address.