    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [September 10, 2003]
    [Pages 1133-1139]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy in Quantico,
    Virginia
    September 10, 2003

        The President. Thanks a lot. Please be seated. Thanks for the warm
    welcome. I'm proud to visit the FBI Academy here at Quantico, where so
    much hard and essential work in the war on terror goes on.
        The FBI Academy, new agents who risk their lives to keep America
    safe learn their craft. In forensics lab, experts examine vital evidence
    that leads to victory against terror. In the engineering research
    facility, specialists apply the latest technology to fight crime and
    terror. You do a terrific job for the American people, and I'm here to
    tell you our Nation is grateful.
        Quantico is also known as the ``crossroad of the Corps''----
        Audience members. Hooah!
        The President. ----since so many Marines pass through the Marine
    Corps University here. I'm sure it's just a coincidence

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    that Quantico, population 561 fine souls, is said to have the highest
    number of barber shops--[laughter]--per capita than any town in the
    Nation. What strikes me, it looks like all those barbers specialize in
    one kind of haircut. [Laughter]
        I appreciate the men and women who wear our Nation's uniform. The
    Marines make us proud. I appreciate the men and women from the
    Department of Homeland Security who are with us today. You've been given
    a great responsibility, and you're carrying it out with focus and
    professionalism.
        I want to thank the DEA agents who are with us today. By working to
    keep drug money from financing terror, you're playing an important part
    of this war. I also thank the first-responders from the nearby
    communities who are with us today. You're the ones Americans count on in
    times of emergency, and you do not let us down.
        The lives of every person here were changed by the events of
    September the 11th, 2001. You felt the anger and the sense of loss that
    day. You stood ready to serve your country in a time of need. And each
    of you now has a part in protecting America against the threats of a new
    era.
        For 2 years, this Nation has been on the offensive against global
    terror networks, overseas and at home. We've taken unprecedented,
    effective measures to protect this homeland. Yet, our Nation has more to
    do. We will never be complacent. We will defend our people, and we will
    win this war.
        I appreciate the Attorney General being
    here today. I picked a good man, who's doing a fine job on behalf of all
    Americans, when I picked John Ashcroft to be the Attorney General of the
    United States.
        I appreciate my friend Tom Ridge. See, we were
    both Governors at one time, so I got to know him as the Governor of a
    relatively small State--[laughter]--Pennsylvania. He did a great job as
    Governor. He's been given an enormous task to reorganize our Government.
    I'm proud that he's taken on the Secretary of the Department of Homeland
    Security. I'm proud of the job he's doing on behalf of America.
        I'm also honored to be up here with Bob Mueller, who is the head of the FBI. He was just recounting what
    it was like to go to the Marine Corps University--a couple of decades
    ago. [Laughter] A proud Marine then, he's now proud to run the FBI. He
    knows what I know: Our Nation is fortunate to have such fine men and
    women work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
        I appreciate John Gordon being up here. He's
    the Homeland Security Adviser, works right there in the White House. I
    meet with him every single day. He's got good, sound judgment and good
    advice. I'm honored that Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis is with us today. Congresswoman, we're glad you're here.
    Thank you for coming today. I appreciate Dwight Adams, who is the Director of the FBI Laboratory. He just gave me
    a fine tour. It's pretty sophisticated facilities. I appreciate the
    chance to see it.
        Tomorrow, America will mark a sad anniversary. The memories of
    September 11th will never leave us. We will not forget the burning
    towers and the last phone calls and the smoke over Arlington. We will
    not forget the rescuers who ran toward danger and the passengers who
    rushed the hijackers. We will not forget the men and women who went to
    work on a typical day and never came home. We will not forget the death
    of schoolchildren who were on a school trip.
        And we will never forget the servants of evil who plotted the
    attacks. And we will never forget those who rejoiced at our grief and
    our mourning.
        America honors and remembers the names of all victims. And tomorrow,
    some families will be thinking of one name in particular, a person they
    still love and deeply miss. The prayers of our whole Nation are with the
    families of the lost who feel a grief that does not end.
        Tomorrow's anniversary is a time for remembrance. Yet history asked
    more than

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    memory. The attacks on this Nation revealed the intentions of a
    determined and ruthless enemy that still plots against our people. The
    forces of global terror cannot be appeased, and they cannot be ignored.
    They must be hunted; they must be found; and they will be defeated. We
    will not wait for further attacks on innocent Americans. The best way to
    protect the American people is to stay on the offensive, to stay on the
    offensive at home and to stay on the offensive overseas.
        And that is what this country is doing. We've undertaken a global
    campaign against terrorist networks. We're going after the terrorists
    wherever they hide and wherever they plan. We will keep them on the run.
    We'll bring them to justice. We have made clear the doctrine that says,
    ``If you harbor a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, if you hide a
    terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorists.'' We're holding
    regimes accountable for harboring and supporting terror.
        We're determined to prevent terrorist networks from gaining weapons
    of mass destruction. We're committed to spreading democracy and
    tolerance and freedom in the Middle East, to replace the hatred and
    bitterness with progress and hope and peace.
        These 24 months have been a time of progress against the enemy.
    Terrorists have lost their training camps in Afghanistan. They lost the
    protection of the Taliban. Al Qaida has lost nearly two-thirds of its
    known leaders. They've either been captured or they've been killed.
    Terror networks have lost access to some $200 million, which we have
    frozen or seized in more than 1,400 terrorist accounts around the world.
    The terrorists have lost a sponsor in Iraq. And no terrorist networks
    will ever gain weapons of mass destruction from Saddam
    Hussein's regime. That regime is no more.
        Now we are engaged in other essential missions in the war on
    terrorism. We're helping the Afghan people to build free institutions
    after years of oppression. We're working with the Iraqi people to build
    a new home for freedom and democracy at the heart of the Middle East.
    The spread of freedom is one of the keys to the victory against terror.
    The Middle East will either be a place of increasing hope or a place of
    a bitterness and violence that exports terrorism--exports terrorism to
    America or other Nations. By removing the tyrants who support terror and
    by ending the hopelessness that feeds terror, we are helping the people
    of the Middle East, and we're strengthening the security of America.
        The terrorists understand what is at stake. They understand that the
    advance of freedom will discredit their cause, and they know that the
    advance of freedom will isolate them from sources of support. That is
    why Saddam holdouts and foreign terrorists
    are desperately trying to throw Iraq into chaos by attacking our forces,
    by killing aid workers, by destroying innocent Iraqis. This collection
    of killers is desperately trying to shake the will of the civilized
    world, but America will not be intimidated.
        We are following a clear strategy with three objectives: We're going
    to destroy the terrorists; we'll enlist the support for a free Iraq--
    international support for a free Iraq; and we'll quickly transfer
    authority to the Iraqi people. We're aggressively striking the
    terrorists in Iraq with great troops. We're using better intelligence,
    because we know when we defeat them there, we won't have to face them in
    our own country.
        We're calling on other nations to help Iraqis build a free nation,
    which will make us all more secure. We're helping the Iraqi people
    assume more of their own defense and move toward self-government. I
    recognize these are not easy tasks, but they're essential tasks. And
    this country will do what is ever necessary to win this victory in the
    war on terror.
        As we wage this war abroad, we must remember where it began, here on
    our homeland. In this new kind of war, the enemy's objective is to
    strike us on our

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    own territory and make our people live in fear. This danger places all
    of you, every person here and the people you work with, on the
    frontlines of the war on terror.
        Our methods for fighting this war at home are very different from
    those we use abroad. Yet our strategy is the same: We're on the
    offensive against terror; we're determined to stop the enemy before they
    can strike our people.
        Every morning I am briefed from the latest information on the
    threats to our country, and those threats are real. The enemy is wounded
    but still resourceful and actively recruiting and still dangerous. We
    cannot afford a moment of complacency. Yet, as you know, we've taken
    extraordinary measures these past 2 years to protect America. And we're
    making progress. There are solid results that we can report to the
    American people.
        We have shut down phony charities that serve as fronts for
    terrorists. We've thwarted terrorists in Buffalo and Seattle, in
    Portland, Detroit, North Carolina, and Tampa, Florida. More than 260
    suspected terrorists have been charged in United States courts; more
    than 140 have already been convicted.
        We're making progress because we have got skilled professionals on
    the job, and we've got a clear strategy. We reorganized our Government
    to enhance our strategy, and we set three national objectives for
    homeland security: One, to prevent attacks on America; to reduce our
    vulnerabilities; and to prepare for any attack that might come.
        Under Director Mueller, the FBI
    is transforming itself to face the new threats of our time. Instead of
    just investigating past crimes, the agency is now dedicated to
    preventing future attacks. Since September the 11th, the share of FBI
    resources dedicating to fighting terror has more than doubled. The
    agency remains fully committed to its traditional law enforcement
    duties. Yet now the FBI is better at analyzing threats and sharing more
    information with other agencies at every level of Government. The FBI,
    much to the chagrin of the enemy, is fully engaged on the war on terror.
    America is proud of your efforts.
        To make our antiterror efforts more effective, we established the
    Terrorism Threat Integration Center to merge and analyze in a single
    place all the vital intelligence on global terror from across our
    Government. We're doing a better job of talking to each other. The left
    hand now knows what the right hand is doing. We're gathering
    intelligence and preparing the homeland and the people in charge of
    protecting the homeland with the best information we can possibly find.
        We also have merged 22 Federal agencies into the Department of
    Homeland Security. Employees of DHS go to work every day with a single
    overriding responsibility, to make America more secure. Secretary Ridge
    and his team have done a fine job in getting the difficult work of
    organizing the Department, and we appreciate your service to America as
    well.
        DHS has spearheaded a massive overhaul of security at America's
    airports. Some 48,000 professional screeners, employed and supervised by
    the Transportation Security Administration, are now on the job across
    America. With new equipment, we're now screening every bag that goes to
    every airplane. The cockpit doors of every large passenger airplane that
    flies in the United States have been hardened. Thousands of Federal air
    marshals are flying on commercial flights. We're determined to protect
    Americans who travel by plane and to prevent those planes from being
    used as weapons against the American people.
        The Department of Homeland Security is focused on making the border
    more secure. Our Smart Border strategy uses technology and background
    checks to allow law-abiding travelers to cross the border, while
    officials concentrate on possible threats. We've improved the entry
    process. People coming into the United States will soon

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    be met by a single uniformed officer, rather than the separate officials
    from Customs, Agricultural, and Immigration.
        Working with the State Department, DHS is doing a better job of
    screening visa applicants and keeping track of short-term visitors while
    they're in our country. America will remain a welcoming society. We
    welcome families and tourists, students and business people from other
    countries. But our border must be closed to criminals and terrorists.
        Since September the 11th, 2001, America has made the largest
    commitment to securing our seaports since World War II. In these 2
    years, the Coast Guard, which is now part of the Department of Homeland
    Security, has conducted more than 124,000 port security patrols, more
    than 13,300 air patrols, and has boarded more than 92,000 vessels. DHS
    now requires electronic advance cargo manifests from ships 24 hours
    before containers are loaded onto ships, giving officials time to check
    for potential dangers. We're enforcing tough rules that require ports
    and vessels and facilities to upgrade their security. This Nation is
    determined to protect our ports from all the threats around the world.
        We're determined as well to reduce the vulnerabilities of our
    Nation's infrastructure. The Department of Homeland Security is working
    closely with State and local governments to identify key vulnerabilities
    in our communications systems, our power grids, and our transportation
    networks, and we're taking action to protect them. DHS has established a
    National Cyber Security Division to examine cybersecurity incidents, to
    track attacks, and to coordinate nationwide responses. DHS is also
    helping the operators of chemical facilities improve security. We're
    working on Congress--with Congress on new legislation that establishes
    uniform standards for security of chemical sites.
        Even with all these measures, there is no such thing as perfect
    security in a vast and free country. So all levels of government must be
    prepared to respond quickly and effectively to any emergency. In
    responding to most incidents, local officials such as firefighters will
    be the first on the scene. America's first-responders need to be well-
    equipped, and they need to be well-trained.
        The Federal Government has a responsibility to help, and we're
    meeting that responsibility. We've committed nearly $8 billion over the
    past 2 years to better equip and train our State and local first-
    responders and hospitals and laboratories. I proposed more than 5
    billion more for the coming fiscal year. We're spending this money
    wisely, I want you to know. We're targeting resources where they're
    needed, where they'll do the most good.
        An effective response system requires effective communications. You
    know that. First-responders know what I'm talking about. So we're
    upgrading communication systems all across the country to make sure that
    people from all agencies, at all levels of government, can talk to one
    another in crisis.
        We're making a special effort to prepare for the possibility of a
    biological or chemical attack. We've improved our ability to quickly
    detect such attacks if they occur. We've enlarged the strategic national
    stockpile of drugs and vaccines and medical supplies. We now have on
    hand, for instance, enough smallpox vaccine to immunize every American
    in the case of an emergency.
        Earlier this year, I proposed Project BioShield which will speed the
    development of new vaccines and treatments for biological agents that
    could be used in a terrorist attack. The Senate needs to act on this
    important measure. The House has acted, and I appreciate their action.
    For the sake of national security, the Senate needs to pass Project
    BioShield.
        Since September the 11th, this Nation has been unrelenting in the
    work on protecting the homeland. And we'll stay that way. That's our
    duty. That's our job. We accept the responsibility.

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        Across our Government, there's a new spirit, sense of mission. In
    our country, Americans are volunteering to help, and I want to thank
    them for that. For example, they're volunteering their expertise in the
    Citizen Corps efforts to help local communities prepare for emergencies.
    And I appreciate the bipartisan efforts in Congress to prepare our
    country and to give law enforcement officials the tools they need.
        Almost 2 years ago, I signed the USA Patriot Act. That essential
    law, supported by a large bipartisan majority in the Congress, tore down
    the walls that blocked America's intelligence and law enforcement
    officials from sharing intelligence. It enabled our team to talk to each
    other, to better prepare against an enemy which hates us because of what
    we love--freedom.
        The Patriot Act imposed tough new penalties on terrorists and those
    who support them. But as the fight against terrorists progressed, we
    have found areas where more help is required. Under current Federal law,
    there are unreasonable obstacles to investigating and prosecuting
    terrorism, obstacles that don't exist when law enforcement officials are
    going after embezzlers or drug traffickers. For the sake of the American
    people, Congress should change the law and give law enforcement
    officials the same tools they have to fight terror that they have to
    fight other crime.
        Here's some examples. Administrative subpoenas, which enable law
    enforcement officials to obtain certain records quickly, are critical to
    many investigations. They're used in a wide range of criminal and civil
    matters, including health care fraud and child abuse cases. Yet,
    incredibly enough, in terrorism cases, where speed is often of the
    essence, officials lack the authority to use administrative subpoenas.
    If we can use these subpoenas to catch crooked doctors, the Congress
    should allow law enforcement officials to use them in catching
    terrorists.
        Today, people charged with certain crimes, including some drug
    offenses, are not eligible for bail. But terrorist-related crimes are
    not on that list. Suspected terrorists could be released, free to leave
    the country or worse, before the trial. This disparity in the law makes
    no sense. If dangerous drug dealers can be held without bail in this
    way, Congress should allow for the same treatment for accused
    terrorists.
        Let me give you another example. Under existing law, the death
    penalty applies to many serious crimes that result in death, including
    sexual abuse and certain drug-related offenses. Some terrorist crimes
    that result in death do not qualify for capital punishment. Sabotaging a
    defense installation or a nuclear facility in a way that takes innocent
    life does not carry the Federal death penalty. This kind of technicality
    should never protect terrorists from the ultimate justice.
        These and other measures have long been on the books for other
    crimes. They have been tested by time, affirmed by the court, and what
    we are proposing, they are fully consistent with the United States
    Constitution.
        Members of the Congress agree that we need to close the loopholes--
    not every Member, but a lot of them agree with that. People in law
    enforcement are counting on Congress to follow through. We're asking a
    lot of these folks out here. You need to have every tool at your
    disposal to be able to do your job on behalf of the American people. The
    House and the Senate have a responsibility to act quickly on these
    matters. Untie the hands of our law enforcement officials so they can
    fight and win the war against terror.
        Two years ago, this Nation saw the face of a new enemy. We
    discovered that there is no safety behind vast oceans. For our own
    safety, we resolve to take the battle to the enemy. America is making
    progress on every front--every front--in this war. For that progress, we
    know who to thank. We thank the men and women who wear

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    our Nation's uniform. We thank their families. We thank our intelligence
    officers. We thank every branch of law enforcement. We thank our first-
    responders.
        All of you may serve on different fronts, but you're serving in the
    same war. I don't know how long this war will go on, but I do know this:
    However long it takes, this Nation will prevail.
        May God bless you all. Thank you all very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 3:04 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Dwight E. Adams, Assistant Director, Laboratory Division, Federal Bureau
    of Investigation; and former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The
    Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of these remarks.