    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [August 28, 2004]
    [Pages 1767-1768]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    August 28, 2004

        Good morning. In the 3 years since our country was attacked, America
    has remained on the offensive against terrorist enemies wherever they
    hide and plot. Part of that offensive has been to reorganize our
    Government so that all our intelligence and law enforcement agencies
    cooperate effectively to expose and disrupt threats against America.
        The Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also
    known as the 9/11 Commission, concluded that these efforts have made
    America safer. They also concluded that America is still not safe. I
    agree with both of those conclusions, and so my administration is taking
    additional actions to reform our intelligence services and improve
    America's ability to find, track, and stop dangerous terrorists.
        This week, I signed a series of Executive orders to ensure that the
    people in Government responsible for defending America and countering
    terrorism have the best possible information and support to identify
    threats and to protect the homeland. Some of these orders reflect
    specific recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. All of them are
    essential to America's security as we wage the war on terror.
        First, I have ordered the Director of Central Intelligence to
    perform the functions of the National Intelligence Director within the
    constraints of existing law, until Congress establishes that position. I
    agree with the 9/11 Commission that America needs a single official to
    coordinate the foreign and domestic activities of the intelligence
    community with authority over personnel, budgeting, and policy. I am
    working with Members of Congress to create this position, and while we
    act, the Director of Central Intelligence will play an expanded role. I
    also urge Congress to act swiftly on my nomination of Porter Goss, a
    proven reformer with decades of experience in intelligence to lead the
    CIA.
        Second, I have ordered the establishment of a National
    Counterterrorism Center. This new center builds on the capabilities of
    the Terrorist Threat Integration Center, which I created more than a
    year ago. The Center will become our Government's central knowledge bank
    for information about known and suspected terrorists and will help
    ensure effective joint action across the Government so that our efforts
    against terrorists are unified in priority and purpose. Center personnel
    will also prepare the daily terrorism threat report that comes to me and
    to senior Government officials.
        Third, we're making sure that all agencies of our Government share
    vital threat information. I have ordered the Director of Central
    Intelligence to ensure that we have common standards and clear
    accountability measures for intelligence sharing across the agencies of
    our Government. I have established a new Information Systems Council to
    identify and break down any remaining barriers to the rapid sharing of
    threat information by America's intelligence agencies, law enforcement
    agencies, and State and local governments. To continue to protect the
    freedoms and privacy of our citizens, I've established a Civil Liberties
    Board to monitor information-sharing practices.

    [[Page 1768]]

        America faces a great threat, and our Government is doing everything
    in its power to confront and defeat that threat. We have made great
    progress against the terrorists who seek to harm our Nation. We have
    made great progress in protecting our homeland. In all that lies ahead,
    America will stay focused and determined, and we will prevail.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 1:25 p.m. on August 27 in the
    Roosevelt Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August
    28. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on August 27 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address.