[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
[August 3, 2007]
[Pages 1041-1042]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
August 3, 2007

    Good morning. Today I'm traveling to Minneapolis to the site of 
Wednesday's tragic bridge collapse. Like millions of Americans, I was 
shocked and saddened when I heard the news that the I-35 bridge gave way 
during rush hour. The bridge was a major traffic artery, and when it 
collapsed, dozens of cars fell into the Mississippi River.
    Laura and I join all Americans in mourning 
those who lost their lives and in sending our thoughts and prayers to 
their families. And we pray that those injured will make a full 
recovery.
    On Thursday morning, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and Federal Highway Administrator Richard 
Capka traveled to Minneapolis. They 
announced $5 million in immediate Federal funding for debris removal and 
to help restore the flow of traffic. This is just the beginning of the 
financial assistance we will make available to support the State in its 
recovery efforts. Several Federal Agencies are on the ground aiding 
State and local officials, including the National Transportation Safety 
Board, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the 
Army Corps of Engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
    I recognize how important the I-35 bridge is to the State of 
Minnesota, and my administration is committed to working closely with 
Governor Pawlenty and Mayor Rybak to rebuild this bridge as quickly as possible.
    In times of tragedy, our hearts ache for those who suffer, yet our 
hearts are also lifted by acts of courage and compassion. We saw those 
qualities in the residents of a nearby apartment building who rushed to 
the scene to offer their help. We saw them in the divers who fought the 
mighty currents of the Mississippi to reach victims, and we saw them in 
the firefighters who searched car to car for survivors.
    Among the survivors was a group of kids returning from a summer 
field trip. Their

[[Page 1042]]

school bus had just passed over the Mississippi River when the bridge 
below them gave way. The bus dropped more than 20 feet and came to rest 
on the guardrail of the collapsed bridge span. A staff member named 
Jeremy Hernandez quickly swung into action. 
He broke open the back door and helped evacuate the terrified children 
to safety. The mother of one of the 
children on board credited Jeremy's presence of 
mind with helping spare her daughter from tragedy. She put it this way: 
``I don't know what he was thinking, but it must have been something 
really good.''
    Our country is fortunate to have brave and selfless citizens like 
Jeremy, and all those who risked their own 
safety to aid in the rescue. This is a difficult time for the community 
in Minneapolis, but the people there are decent and resilient, and they 
will get through these painful hours. As they do, they know that all of 
America stands with them, and that we will do all we can to help them 
recover and rebuild.
    May God bless those who are hurting in Minneapolis, and may God 
bless our wonderful country. Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on August 3 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 4. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
August 3. In his address, the President referred to Gov. Timothy J. 
Pawlenty of Minnesota; and Mayor R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis, MN. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of this address.