[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 40 (Monday, October 8, 2001)]
[Pages 1406-1407]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Announcing the Reopening of Ronald Reagan Washington National 
Airport in Arlington, Virginia

October 2, 2001

    The President. Thank you all. Governor, thank you very much. I am 
here to make an announcement that this Thursday, ticket counters and 
airplanes will fly out of Ronald Reagan Airport.
    The ticket counters will be open for business. We will start a 
schedule of airplane flights that will reflect the new and tight 
security concerns that all Americans share. Ronald Reagan Airport is 
very important for our local economy, but it's also a national symbol, 
as the Governor mentioned. So Thursday flights will resume.
    I want to thank all the captains and flight attendants and 
maintenance folks and ticket counter personnel, people who make this 
good airport run, for your patience and understanding.
    We're doing the right thing. We've taken our time. We can assure the 
American public as best as we can, that we're taking the necessary 
safety precautions. Now it's time to start flying again.
    I want to thank the Governor of Virginia for his hard work and 
concern about the working people in this part of the State. I want to 
thank Secretary Norm Mineta, the Transportation Secretary, for working 
hard to bring people together, to bring sensible policy to airports all 
across America. He's been working overtime. That's what we expect from 
the Secretary of Transportation during this period of time. And I'm 
proud of the work he's done.
    I want to thank the Mayor of Washington, DC, for being here. The 
Mayor's a good, solid man. I want to thank Delegate Eleanor Holmes 
Norton from Washington, DC, for being here, as well. Two United States 
Senators from the State of Virginia, John Warner and George Allen, have 
been deeply concerned about this airport. Members of the congressional 
delegation, Tom Davis, Jim Moran, and Frank Wolf, as well, have been 
working hard with us to come up with reasonable, sound policies to get 
the Reagan Airport started. I'm glad you all are here, as well as Connie 
Morella from the neighboring State of Maryland.
    There really is no greater symbol that America's back in business 
than the reopening of this airport. After all, this is the airport that 
brings our Nation's leaders to Washington to do the people's business. 
It's the airport that welcomes millions of tourists to our Nation's 
Capital. And of course, the Mayor would want me to say, we want the 
tourists coming back to see our great monuments.
    But one of the things those of us who live in the area understand, 
this airport is really important for the local economy, as well. There's 
a lot of people, a lot of small-business people, a lot of people who 
service the airport, obviously a lot of people who work here, depend 
upon this airport being open. And I understand that. And I appreciate 
once again your patience and understanding, as our Nation obviously is 
dealing with a tragedy, the likes of which we never envisioned.
    I also know full-well that the Nation is asking this question: Are 
we taking the necessary safety precautions as we open not only Ronald 
Reagan Airport but other airports? The answer is, you bet. We sure are. 
We're spending a lot of time consulting with local officials to make 
sure that the security that all of us expect is in place. Not only have 
we worked with Members of the Congress to develop what we hope is a 
security plan that will enhance confidence from the traveling public, 
but we work with local officials, as well, to make sure this airport has 
got the toughest security measures possible.
    We also, as you well know, are increasing the number of air 
marshals, armed marshals on airplanes. They'll be undercover--let me 
rephrase that--they'll be wearing civilian clothes. [Laughter] They will 
blend in. But we'll have many more air marshals on flights. It should 
send two signals: One to the American public that there will be 
protection; and to somebody who thinks they can disrupt America, we're 
watching for you; we're paying attention to you.
    Every person who gets on an airplane, who goes to work, who takes 
their family to visit relatives, is taking a stand against terrorism. 
You see, the terrorists, they want to intimidate America. The 
terrorists, by conducting

[[Page 1407]]

their evil deeds, wanted our Nation to stop. But they underestimated our 
spirit, didn't they?
    Audience member. Yes, they did.
    The President. Yes, they made a mistake. And the spirit is strong in 
America. Our confidence is strong.
    We've put together a coalition of nations that says terrorism won't 
stand. We've got our military alert--on alert for a reason: Terrorism 
won't stand. We're cutting off their money, because we're saying 
terrorism won't stand.
    And we're saying that at home, as well. People who travel say 
terrorism is not going to intimidate us. Tonight I've asked the Mayor to 
go out to dinner with me, on a Washington--here in the District. He said 
he's going so long as I pay. [Laughter] You've got a deal. [Laughter]
    When people go to ball games, they're sending a signal. I mean, we 
got struck hard on September the 11th. All of us know that. But you 
can't strike the American spirit. It's strong. It's vibrant. It's 
united. And by opening this airport, we're making yet another statement 
to the terrorists: You can't win.
    Thank you all for being here. God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:52 a.m. at Terminal C, north pier of the 
airport. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. James S. Gilmore III of 
Virginia, and Mayor Anthony A. Williams of Washington, DC.