[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
[February 28, 2003]
[Pages 226-229]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
[[Page 226]]
Remarks to Department of Homeland Security Employees
February 28, 2003
Thanks for the warm welcome. It is an honor for me to speak to the
men and women who go to work every day and every night to protect our
great country. Since the day this Nation was attacked, you have been on
the frontlines on the war against terror. You've worked hard under
urgent and sometimes incredibly difficult circumstances. America is
really grateful.
Tomorrow marks an historic day for our Government and for our
country. Around 170,000 people from more than 20 Federal agencies will
officially join the new Department of Homeland Security, creating a more
effective, organized, and united defense of our homeland. Every member
of this new Department accepts an essential mission to prevent another
terrorist attack. Yours is a vital and important step in reorganizing
our Government to meet the threats of a new era as we continue the work
of securing this country.
I picked a good man to be the first Cabinet
Secretary of this new Department, a man who's got courage to lead, a man
who speaks clearly about our goals, a man who understands
accountability, and I appreciate my friend Tom Ridge for serving in this
capacity.
I want to thank other members of my Cabinet who are here for this
historic announcement: Attorney General John
Ashcroft--Mr. General, thank you for coming. Ann Veneman of the
Department of Agriculture is with us today. Norm Mineta--Norm just got out of the hospital. Norm did an
incredible job on the Transportation Security Agency. He was given a
task that a lot of people thought would--the Department of
Transportation could never accomplish. And thanks to his leadership and
his team, he did a fabulous job. You're looking pretty darn good to me,
by the way.
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, Holmes
honored she is with us today. I appreciate so very much Sam
Bodman, the Deputy Secretary of Commerce,
being with us. Admiral James Loy, who is the
Under Secretary of the Department of Transportation, is with us. Thank
you for coming. Janet Hale, the Under Secretary
of the Department of Homeland Security; Mike Brown, the Under Secretary-designee at the Department of Homeland
Security; Dr. Charles McQueary, the
Under Secretary-designee, Department of Homeland Security, who I'll talk
about a little bit later.
Commandant Tom Collins of the Coast
Guard is with us today. I appreciate so very much Robert
Mueller, III who is the head of the FBI
as well. Robert Bonner runs the Customs
Service; Ralph Basham, head of the Secret
Service. I really like the head of the Secret Service--[laughter]--if
you know what I mean. [Laughter] Michael Garcia, INS; Chief Gus de la Vina, III He and the agents who work
for the FBI are doing a fantastic job on behalf of the American people.
The Department of Homeland Security is also charged with
strengthening our defenses against cyberterrorism and the even greater
dangers of biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons. We've established a
Science and Technology Directorate within the Department so we can apply
some of our Nation's best minds to the task of protecting our people.
I've nominated a good man, Dr. Charles McQueary, to head up this effort. His team is engaged in a major
effort to develop and deploy the technologies for detecting weapons of
mass destruction. As these technologies are deployed, border inspectors
will have better tools to intercept dangerous materials before they
enter our country. Emergency services personnel will be able to identify
biological or chemical weapons and agents so they can use the most
effective decontamination methods available. And as part of the BioWatch
Initiative, we are deploying early warning sensors around the country to
help detect potential biological attacks.
This week, I sent to Congress my proposal for Project BioShield, a
major research and production effort to guard our people against
bioterrorism. I've requested nearly $6 billion for this project to
quickly make available effective vaccines and treatments against agents
like anthrax, botulinum toxin, Ebola, and plague. We must assume that
our enemies would use these diseases as weapons, and we must act before
the dangers are upon us. I urge the Congress to pass this legislation as
soon as possible.
The Department of Homeland Security is charged with promoting
cooperation between Washington and State and local governments. Our
enemies can strike anywhere
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in America, and we must be ready to respond in a coordinated way.
Through the Homeland Security Advisory System, we have created a unified
process for alerting government officials and the public of current
threats. We're also providing more information about suspected
terrorists to State and local law enforcement agencies. And with this
new Department, State and local officials will now have a single point
of contact to help them address the needs of the local area.
The Department of Homeland Security is charged with safeguarding our
border and transportation systems. September the 11th taught us that
terrorists will try to use the openness of our country against us. We
must understand and correct our vulnerabilities. And we need to know
who's coming in and who's going out of our country. We're working with
our good friends, Canada and Mexico, to strengthen our law enforcement
at the borders.
The Transportation Security Administration has assigned thousands of
air marshals to commercial flights and deployed more than 50,000 newly
trained airport screeners. TSA is also screening all checked luggage at
our airports, up from 5 percent before September the 11th, 2001.
Starting tomorrow, four different organizations that patrol and
enforce laws at our borders will be integrated into a new Bureau of
Customs and Border Protection. This bureau will unify border inspection
and enforcement functions, so that legitimate visitors and goods can
enter the United States, while giving us better tools to help deny entry
to terrorists, drug traffickers, and dangerous materials. Inspectors
will be posted at more than 20 ports around the world to examine high-
risk cargo before it sets sail to our country.
The new Department is charged with responding to any terror attack
that may come. We are moving forward on essential preparations here in
America. Over the past 18 months, we have significantly enhanced our
national stockpile of critical drugs, vaccines, and other medical
supplies. Supplies from this stockpile can be delivered wherever they
are needed, anywhere in this country, within 12 hours. We've provided
more than $900 million in support to help State and local responders and
emergency managers prepare for terrorist attacks. And we've supported
the training of more than 100,000 first-responders since September the
11th, 2001.
I proposed record funding for the first-responders, $3.5 billion in
the current budget. I've also requested another 3.5 billion in the 2004
budget. Unfortunately, the Congress was late in passing the
appropriations bill of 2003. They reduced my total request for State and
local enforcement and emergency personnel by $1 billion and designated
part of the funding to go to other priorities. I signed the
appropriations bill to make sure that we can finally begin to distribute
funding to the States. The leaders in the House and Senate are aware of
my concerns, and they share them. These leaders know that I will
continue to do everything in my power to direct as much of this funding
as possible toward training and equipping police, firefighters, and EMTs
to prepare and respond to potential terrorist attacks.
Beginning tomorrow, the Department of Homeland Security will be
responsible for coordinating our national response to terrorist attacks.
Secretary Ridge has already created 24/7 Homeland
Security Center, ready to act at the first sign of any emergency. And
I'll be issuing a directive ordering the establishment of a unified
National Incident Management System. The system will provide Government
agencies with common procedures and standards for preparing and
responding to emergencies.
Our Nation has great challenges in securing our homeland, but we've
got even greater advantages. We've got people like you all who serve
with skill and, frankly, don't get enough credit for the work you do. Of
course, you're not here to get the credit; you're here to do your job.
We've
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got brave and honorable men and women serving in our military, including
the Coast Guard, ready to accomplish any mission they are given. And
they will do so with courage and skill and honor. Above all, we have the
courage and character of the American people, who are resolved to
prevent further attacks on our homeland.
March 1st marks an important day for our Government and for our
country. The work ahead won't always be easy. You've accepted a
difficult mission. But I'm confident in the success of our efforts,
because I'm confident in you.
I want to thank each of you for your service in freedom's cause.
There is no doubt in my mind that this Nation will prevail in this war
against terror, because we're the greatest nation, full of the finest
people, on the face of this Earth.
May God bless your work, and may God continue to bless America.
Note: The President spoke at 10:46 a.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building
and International Trade Center. In his remarks, he referred to Janet
Hale, nominee to be Under Secretary for Management, Michael D. Brown,
nominee to be Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response,
and Charles E. McQueary, nominee to be Under Secretary for Science and
Technology, Department of Homeland Security.