    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [September 2, 2005]
    [Page 1384]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Departure for a Tour of Gulf Coast Areas Damaged by Hurricane
    Katrina
    September 2, 2005

        Secretary Chertoff and I just finished
    a meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld,
    General Myers, other members of my Cabinet,
    as well as General Honore, Admiral
    Keating, who is in charge of NORTHCOM--
    General Honore is our active duty general on the ground in Louisiana as
    well--and Mike Brown, who is the head of
    FEMA.
        There's a lot of aid surging toward those who have been affected,
    millions of gallons of water, millions of tons of food. We're making
    progress about pulling people out of the Superdome. There's an issue
    right now at the convention center of New Orleans that General
    Honore briefed us on. We're trying to get
    food and medicine to the convention center. He's working with the
    Governor and the adjutant
    general and the mayor to deploy 600 of the newly arrived MPs to secure the
    site, so that the food and medicine and water can get in there.
        A lot of people are working hard to help those who've been affected,
    and I want to thank the people for their efforts. The results are not
    acceptable. I'm headed down there right now. I'm looking forward to
    talking to the people on the ground. I want to assure the people of the
    affected areas and this country that we'll deploy the assets necessary
    to get the situation under control, to get the help to the people who've
    been affected, and that we're beginning long-term planning to help those
    who have been displaced, as well as long-term planning to help rebuild
    the communities that have been affected.
        I'm looking forward to my trip down there and looking forward to
    thanking those on the ground and looking forward to assure people that
    we'll get on top of this situation, and we're going to help people who
    need help.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:02 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of
    Louisiana; Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore, USA, commanding general, First
    United States Army; Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, Adjutant General,
    Louisiana National Guard; and Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans, LA.