[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
[September 2, 2005]
[Pages 1389-1391]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Hurricane Katrina Recovery Efforts in Kenner, Louisiana
September 2, 2005

    The President. Listen, I want to thank the Governor of 
Louisiana and the mayor of New 
Orleans, Senator Landrieu, Senator Vitter and Congressman 
Jefferson, Congressman 
Jindal and General Blum. I have just completed a tour of some devastated 
country. I started in Alabama and worked our way down through 
Mississippi and

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ended up here in one of America's great cities and saw firsthand the 
devastation that this city has gone through. I know the people of this 
part of the world are suffering, and I want them to know that there's a 
flow of progress. We're making progress. I want to thank the Governor 
for her hard work, and I want to thank the mayor.
    I know there's some of the folks in the outlying parishes here in 
Louisiana wondering whether or not people are paying attention to them. 
We are. St. Charles, St. Bernard, Plaquemine Parish, I understand the 
devastation that you've gone through as well. So does the Governor----

    Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. St. Tammany.
    The President. ----St. Tammany. So does the Governor, and so are the 
Senators. This is a devastating storm. This 
is a storm that's going to require immediate action now. I'm pleased to 
report, thanks to the good work of the adjutant general from Louisiana and troops that have been called 
in, that the convention center is secure. One of the objectives that we 
had today was to move in and secure that convention center and make sure 
the good folks there got food and water.
    The caravans--the bus caravans are continuing on, as is the airlift. 
The people of this part of the world have got to understand--and by the 
way, we just came from the 17th Street levee. A lot of folks are working 
hard to repair that levee. They've been working around the clock, 24 
hours a day. People from the Federal Government and the State government 
and the local government are working to breach that--to fill that 
breach. The mayor has been telling me, not only 
by telephone but here in person, how important it is that we get that 
breach filled and get that pump station up and running. And we went 
there to inspect the progress being done, and the people of New Orleans 
have got to understand, there's a lot of people working hard, and 
they're making good progress.
    You know, I'm going to fly out of here in a minute, but I want you 
to know that I'm not going to forget what I've seen. I understand the 
devastation requires more than one day's attention. It's going to 
require the attention of this country for a long period of time. This is 
a--one of the worst natural disasters we have faced, with national 
consequences. And therefore, there will be a national response. And I 
look forward to continuing to work with the Governor and the mayor and the 
Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to do our duty to 
help the good folks of this part of the world get back on their feet.
    Here's what I believe. I believe that the great city of New Orleans 
will rise again and be a greater city of New Orleans. I believe the town 
where I used to come from, Houston, Texas, to enjoy myself, occasionally 
too much--[laughter]--will be that very same town, that it will be a 
better place to come to. That's what I believe. I believe the great 
State of Louisiana will get its feet back and become a vital contributor 
to the country.
    I believe the people of Mississippi will recover. I understand we 
got a lot of work to do. And I understand it seems dark right now, but 
by working together and pulling together and capturing that great spirit 
of our country, a great city will rise again, a great State will be 
vibrant.
    If you want to help, if you're listening to this broadcast, 
contribute cash to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. There will be 
other opportunities to give, and we hope you do give. But right now, we 
need cash to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. They're on the 
frontlines providing help to the people who need help.
    May God bless the people of this part of the world, and may God 
continue to bless our country. Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 5:01 p.m. at Louis Armstrong New Orleans 
International Airport. In his remarks, he referred to Gov.

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Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Louisiana; Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New 
Orleans, LA; and Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, Adjutant General, 
Louisiana National Guard.