[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.