[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
[August 26, 2006]
[Pages 1555-1556]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
August 26, 2006

    Good morning. Earlier this week, I had coffee with Rockey 
Vaccarella in the White House. Rockey is 
from St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana, and he and his family lost 
everything they owned to Hurricane Katrina. Rockey drove to Washington 
to thank the Federal Government for its efforts to help people like him, 
and he brought a trailer along to help remind us that many good people 
along our gulf coast are still living in difficult conditions and that 
the hard work of rebuilding has only just begun.
    This Tuesday marks the first anniversary of Katrina, one of the 
deadliest and most costly natural disasters in American history. In 
Mississippi, the storm wiped out virtually everything along an 80-mile 
stretch of the coast, flattening homes and destroying entire 
communities. In Louisiana, flooding left 80 percent of the city of New 
Orleans underwater. The human costs were even more terrible. More than a 
thousand people died, countless families lost their homes and 
livelihoods, and tens of thousands of men, women, and children were 
forced to flee the region and leave behind everything they knew.
    During the storm and in the days that followed, Americans responded 
with heroism and compassion. Coast Guard and other personnel rescued 
people stranded in flooded neighborhoods and brought them to high 
ground. Doctors and nurses stayed behind to care for their patients, and 
some even went without food so their patients could eat. Many of the 
first-responders risking their lives to help others were victims 
themselves, wounded healers, with a sense of duty greater than their own 
suffering. And across our great land, the armies of compassion rallied 
to bring food and water and hope to fellow citizens who had lost 
everything. In these and countless other selfless acts, we saw the 
spirit of America at its best.
    Unfortunately, Katrina also revealed that Federal, State, and local 
governments were

[[Page 1556]]

unprepared to respond to such an extraordinary disaster. And the 
floodwaters exposed a deep-seated poverty that has cut people off from 
the opportunities of our country. So last year, I made a simple pledge: 
The Federal Government would learn the lessons of Katrina; we would do 
what it takes, and we would stay as long as it takes to help our 
brothers and sisters build a new gulf coast, where every citizen feels 
part of the great promise of America.
    That was the same pledge I repeated to Rockey during his visit to the White House. This pledge meant 
stronger levees and rebuilt homes and new infrastructure. It also means 
safe streets and neighborhoods filled with locally-owned businesses and 
more opportunities for everyone.
    Next week Laura and I will return to 
Mississippi and New Orleans to meet with local citizens and officials 
and review the progress we have made. The Federal Government has 
conducted a thorough review of its response to natural disasters, and 
we're making reforms that will improve our response to future 
emergencies. With help from Congress, we have committed $110 billion to 
the recovery effort, and we are playing a vital role in helping people 
clear debris, repair and rebuild their homes, reopen their businesses 
and schools, and put their lives back together.
    The Federal Government will continue to do its part. Yet a reborn 
gulf coast must reflect the needs, the vision, and the aspirations of 
the people of Mississippi and Louisiana. And their State and local 
officials have a responsibility to help set priorities and make tough 
decisions, so people can plan their futures with confidence.
    One year after the storms, the gulf coast continues down the long 
road to recovery. In Mississippi and Louisiana, we can see many 
encouraging signs of recovery and renewal, and many reminders that hard 
work still lies ahead. This work will require the sustained commitment 
of our Government, the generosity and compassion of the American people, 
and the talent and vision of people determined to restore their homes, 
neighborhoods, and cities. We will stay until the job is done, and by 
working together, we will help our fellow citizens along the gulf coast 
write a new future of hope, justice, and opportunity for all.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 9:25 a.m. on August 24 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 26. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
August 25 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
this address.