    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [September 1, 2005]
    [Pages 1381-1383]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With Former President George H.W. Bush and Former President William J. Clinton
    September 1, 2005

    Relief Efforts for Hurricane Katrina

        Good afternoon. Thanks for coming. I'm honored to be with former
    Presidents Bush and Clinton. Thank you all for being here.
        We just spent some time talking about the devastation caused by
    Hurricane Katrina. I brought them up to date on what I know about the
    latest developments there on the ground. We're united in our sympathy.
    We're united in our determination to help the good people that have been
    affected by this hurricane.
        I'm in close contact with Secretary Chertoff. He was in the Oval Office earlier today. He's in
    close contact with FEMA Director Brown.
        I want to make sure I fully understand the relief efforts and the
    extent of the relief efforts and the progress of the relief efforts.
    After all, we're dealing with one of the largest relief efforts in our
    Nation's history, and the Federal Government has got an important role
    to play. Our first priority, of course, is to save lives. There are over
    80 FEMA teams that have been deployed to the gulf coast to conduct
    search and rescue missions. I want to thank those who are working long
    hours, for their dedication to saving lives. We've got Coast Guard folks
    and Navy and Army and Air Force and National Guardsmen from many
    different States that are delivering needed supplies and providing the
    rescue missions, trying to reach those in danger.
        We're working hard to repair the breaches in the levees. Federal,
    State, and local agencies are also cooperating to sustain life. That
    means getting food and water to those who are stranded. Medical
    personnel and local officials are helping hospital patients and people
    gathered in the Superdome to evacuate. Again, I want to thank the folks
    in Texas for welcoming those people. Bus caravans are shuttling back and
    forth between Houston and New Orleans to get those folks to Houston. Law
    enforcement and National Guardsmen and local leaders are working to
    restore public order.
        Earlier today, General Blum along with
    Mike Chertoff gave me a briefing about the
    number of guards-folks trained in police work that will be moving into
    New Orleans as well as other law enforcement officials from around the
    area. As we speak, people are moving into the New Orleans area to
    maintain law and order. I thank them for their good work. Government
    agencies are working with faith-based and community groups to find
    shelters for thousands of displaced persons.
        And finally, we're moving forward with a comprehensive recovery
    strategy. We're working hard to restore electric power, repair
    transportation infrastructure, restart energy production, and of course,
    strategize as to how to provide housing for these folks.
        I met with Chairman Greenspan at lunch as
    well as the economic team to evaluate the impact of Hurricane Katrina.
    We particularly spent a lot of time talking about the damage done to our
    energy infrastructure and its effect on the availability and price of
    gasoline. In our judgment, we view this storm as a temporary disruption
    that is being addressed by the Government and by the private sector.
    We've taken immediate steps to address the issue. The Secretary of
    Energy is approving loans of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum
    Reserve. The EPA has provided a temporary, nationwide waiver for fuel
    requirements so supplies of gasoline can move more easily within our
    country and so that we can attract more gasoline from overseas.

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        We're also working with energy companies to repair and reactivate
    major refineries and pipelines. The good folks must understand that
    major refineries have been shut down, which means it's going to be hard
    to get gasoline to some markets. We're working to help these pipelines
    get up and running. Pipelines carry refined product.
        And so we're working with the majors--major oil companies to get
    the--with Colonial Pipeline so they can carry the products of the major
    oil companies, the refined products. Right now the Colonial Pipeline,
    which is a major pipeline serving the east coast, is back in operation
    but only at 50-percent capacity. We anticipate that as the days go by,
    more and more of that capacity will be restored. Other major pipelines
    are coming back online. But as I said, we're going to have a temporary
    disruption of gasoline product.
        Another challenge we face is that the downed pipelines are causing
    the need to transport gasoline to needed markets by ship. Under current
    law, shipping between American ports can only take place on American
    ships, and there are currently not enough American ships to move the oil
    and gasoline to where it's needed. So today I've instructed Secretary of
    Homeland Security Chairman Chertoff to
    temporarily waive this requirement, so foreign ships can also help
    distribute oil and gasoline to where it's needed. Today's action will
    further help us move gasoline to accommodate the demands of the American
    citizens.
        Steps we're taking will help address the problem of availability,
    but it's not going to solve it. Americans should be prudent in their use
    of energy during the course of the next few weeks. Don't buy gas if you
    don't need it.
        This recovery is going to be a long process. It's going to take a
    lot of hard work and patience and resolve. It's also going to require a
    lot of money. And the Federal Government will do its part, but the
    private sector needs to do its part as well. And that's why I've asked
    Presidents Bush and Clinton to lead a nationwide fundraising effort to
    help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
        In the days ahead, the former Presidents will ask Americans to open
    their hearts and their wallets to help those in need. And they're going
    to talk to large corporations and small businesses and individual
    citizens across the Nation. The contributions will benefit the relief
    organizations that are doing vital work on the ground. We're going to
    take a look and make sure that the money raised is money needed. Right
    now if our fellow citizens want to help, they ought to give a cash
    donation to the Red Cross, which they can find at phone number 1-800-
    HELP-NOW.
        I was so proud of the efforts that President Clinton and President
    Bush did to help the victims of the tsunami relief. Our country marveled
    at their capacity to rally our citizens and to work together. And once
    again, I've asked them to work to help the needs of those who hurt. And
    once again, I'm confident that the American people will respond.
        I know this is an agonizing time, or we all know this is an
    agonizing time for the people of the gulf coast. I ask their continued
    patience as recovery operations unfold. I can assure them that the
    thoughts and prayers of the entire Nation are with them and their loved
    ones. I'm also confident that when it's all said and done, the efforts
    to rebuild the great city of New Orleans and to rebuild those
    communities in Mississippi and to help the folks in Alabama will make
    this Nation a stronger place.
        May God bless you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:45 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, Chief,
    National Guard Bureau.

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