    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [January 10, 2005]
    [Pages 30-33]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the United States Agency for International Development
    January 10, 2005

        Thank you all. Please be seated. Thanks for the warm welcome. Good
    morning. A little more than 2 weeks ago, the world witnessed one of the
    worst displays of natural destruction in history. Since that time, the
    world has witnessed one of history's greatest displays of compassion.
        Most of you are members of this great organization, the United
    States Agency for International Development. Some of you are members of
    nongovernmental organizations. All of you are playing an important role
    in that compassionate response. The world has taken notice, and the
    American people are grateful.
        Throughout the many affected regions, the loss of life and property
    is immense. People and nations throughout Asia and around the world are
    working to ease the suffering brought on by this terrible disaster. The
    international community has responded with generosity and compassion,
    and the men and women of USAID have been at the center of that response.
    And I'm here to thank you.
        I want to thank our Secretary of State
    for his fantastic service to our Nation. I want to thank him for
    recently leading a delegation to the affected areas to express our
    Nation's deepest concerns. I want to thank him for keeping my little
    brother straight. [Laughter] But the Secretary is--
    any time he represents America, does so with such dignity and strength.
    And Mr. Secretary, you did so again, and the world better understands
    our heart as a result of your trip. And I thank you for it.

        And I appreciate Andrew's work.
    [Applause] Andrew, you should take that as a good sign. [Laughter]
    Either that, or it's all your close relatives who are here. [Laughter]
    But I really do want to thank Andrew for not only helping to organize
    the effort but for his travels and his concern and his willingness to
    put in the long hours necessary to make sure that which we spend works.

        And I want to thank you all for working along with Andrew. I know the response disaster team of USAID is
    sitting behind me. Andrew tells me that the response disaster team went
    into work the minute we heard about the disaster. And since then, you've
    been working long hours. I appreciate it very much.

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        We just finished meeting with a group of representatives and heads
    of nongovernmental organizations, NGOs, all of which are providing love
    and compassion and help. After that meeting, I must tell you my spirits
    were raised even higher than they were walking into the meeting. There
    is no question in my mind that the NGOs of America provide such vital,
    vital help in times of disaster.
        A little later on, I want to make yet another appeal for people in
    America to donate money. But I do want to remind our fellow citizens, as
    you donate money to the tsunami relief effort, make sure you continue to
    contribute to NGOs, because those groups--we still have problems in
    other parts of our country and other parts of the world. It is essential
    that your contribution not replace the ongoing contributions you're
    making to help the NGOs of America. You should view the tsunami relief
    effort as extra help, to help solve the problem, so that we don't short-
    change the compassionate needs--the needs for compassion elsewhere in
    our country and the world.
        Colin and brother Jeb earlier, and Andy came by
    and reported to me what they have seen. The pictures do not do the
    devastation justice. They don't tell the whole story of what we've seen
    on TV, what these people have seen in person. The devastation was on a
    scale that none of them had ever experienced. I think Colin referred to
    Banda Aceh as something the equivalent of Hiroshima. They reported that
    the efforts are well-coordinated. In other words, there's a huge
    problem, but the good news is, is that the efforts, the compassion, the
    money, the hope, is well-coordinated and that your work is making a
    difference in saving lives and helping people who need help. That's what
    you're here to do, and it's working.
        USAID personnel in the region responded the very day the disaster
    struck. So not only did the response team get set up, but the people
    around the world began to move. Your fellow colleagues and yourselves
    have been working day and night, 24 hours a day, and we're grateful.
    It's not easy. I know; it's hard, particularly in the time of year in
    which this hit. But you're doing your job, and for that, I'm extremely
    grateful.
        I think the intensity of the effort reflects the enormity of the
    task. After all, the death toll is estimated at 150,000 people and may
    climb even higher. Among the dead are thousands of children, and as many
    as 5 million people are thought to be homeless or without food and clean
    water. You're coordinating airlifts of relief supplies to the affected
    areas. You're arranging for clean water. You're arranging for medical
    aid. You're arranging for psychological help. And that's important work.
        USAID has delivered food, temporary shelter, hygiene kits, and
    supplies to help people survive. In other words, we've been focused on
    the relief effort. Now we're beginning to focus on rehabilitation and
    rebuilding. And as a result, USAID is arranging small loans for those
    whose livelihoods have been destroyed. We were talking about the NGOs
    who have been working along with USAID. I think Ruth mentioned the fact that her agency has now provided a
    fishing boat. In other words, we're beginning to help rebuild lives and
    help people get back on their feet.
        The NGOs, including our faith-based organizations, had been working
    in these regions for decades. As the head of the NGO or the
    representative of the NGO, spoke--said, ``Well, Mr. President, we have
    been there for 30 or 40 years.'' And as a result of having been there,
    there's an infrastructure in place, which is good news for those who
    need help.
        Not only are these people, the NGOs, expressing the world's concern,
    the cooperation between our Government and the NGOs has been superb. And
    that's important. It is important because we don't want to have a
    duplication of effort. We want to make sure that we assess the needs

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    and make sure that our contributions, whether they be from the public
    sector or the private sector, are spent wisely. And having listened
    carefully to Colin and Andrew and the NGO heads, I can say to the American people
    that to the best extent possible, we're coordinating our efforts.
        We're not only coordinating our efforts here at home; we're also
    doing a better job of coordinating our efforts with other governments
    and international NGOs. We made an initial commitment of $350 million
    for relief efforts. That's a commitment from the Federal Government. And
    the NGOs, in turn, are using some of those funds effectively to meet the
    needs of the people on the ground. In other words, what we have done is
    we've made a commitment at the Federal level, and we said how best to
    spend that money. And the best way to spend that money is to actually
    spend it with people who know what they're doing on the ground. We don't
    need to try to--now is not the time to try to come up with a new way of
    solving old problems. Now is the way to use people who have been solving
    problems in an effective way to help people on the ground. And that's
    exactly what we're doing.
        Our military is doing a fantastic job, by the way. I want to thank
    our commanders on the ground, and I want to thank our troops who are
    representing the best of America. Navy vessels, including the U.S.S.
    Abraham Lincoln, have moved into the region, and they are providing food
    and medical supplies and clean water. Helicopters and military aircraft
    are meeting critical needs by airlifting supplies directly to the
    victims. After all, many of the victims have lived in remote areas. And
    so many other places, our servicemen--like in so many other places,
    those who wear our uniform are showing the great decency of America. And
    I thank them for that. I can't tell you how much our Government and the
    people of America appreciate the good work our military is doing to help
    relieve the suffering from this crisis.
        The NGOs with which I met tell me about the incredible outpouring of
    generosity here at home. And I want to thank all those who have
    contributed to the NGOs. I particularly want to thank two former
    Presidents, 41 and 42--[laughter]--or Dad
    and Bill--[laughter]--for stepping up and
    helping to raise money. It's important that Presidents Clinton and Bush
    do what they have done, and I can't thank them enough for taking time
    out of their busy schedules to send out an appeal to the citizens of our
    country.
        Listen, people want to help. I repeat, make sure that this help
    doesn't take the place of other help you're giving, but if you do want
    to continue to help, and I ask you to do so, please go to
    usafreedomcorps.gov on the web page, and that's a way to make sure your
    money--shows you where to send your money and to make sure it's properly
    used. And as well, hopefully the legislation I sign that will allow
    taxpayers to deduct this month's contribution for tsunami relief from
    your 2004 tax returns is further incentive, kind of a little kick to the
    heart. [Laughter]
        The United States Government and the NGOs that have worked so hard
    for so long in the region are committed to this area of the world for a
    long time. This is one of these projects that's not going to happen
    overnight. The intense scrutiny may dissipate and probably will, but our
    focus has got to stay on this part of the world. We have a duty--we have
    made a commitment, and our commitment is a long-term commitment to help
    these good folks in the part of the world that got affected get back on
    their feet.
        Well after the immediate danger passes, USAID is still going to be
    in the hard-hit areas. And I thank you for that. See, you're going to be
    helping the people improve their schools and develop health services and
    mitigate conflict and reinvigorate local economies and help build
    institutions

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    of democracy so people can live in peace and freedom.
        As our Government's leader in relief and reconstruction, USAID and
    its predecessors have done this kind of work before. You have done big
    jobs in the past, such as the Marshall plan. And we're committed to not
    only solving this problem, but we're committed to the work that goes on
    year-round in nearly a hundred countries, countries that include Iraq
    and Afghanistan, where you're helping to build--to bring a better future
    to millions of people who have been newly liberated and to regions in
    the world like Darfur in the Sudan, where you're helping to reduce
    deaths and violence in that troubled region.
        The efforts of USAID is essential for the foreign policy of the
    United States of America. Your efforts and the efforts of others,
    especially to create jobs, promote markets, improve health, fight HIV/
    AIDS, and help democracy take root, are instrumental to making the world
    a better place and to protecting the American people.
        From Sudan to Sumatra, the world has seen America at its best
    through the work you do. Sometimes you don't get thanked enough. I don't
    know how many times a President has been by to say thanks, but I'll tell
    you this: It's my distinct honor to come by and say thanks. I appreciate
    your compassion. I appreciate your love for your fellow human being, and
    thank you for the work you do.
        May God bless you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:32 a.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida; and Andrew S. Natsios, Administrator, U.S.
    Agency for International Development.