[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 46 (Monday, November 18, 2002)]
[Pages 2017-2018]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

November 9, 2002

    Good morning. This was an important week for our country and for the 
world. The United Nations Security Council voted for a resolution 
requiring the Iraqi regime to declare and destroy all weapons of mass 
destruction or face the consequences. Here at home, our citizens voted 
in an election I believe will strengthen our ability to get things done 
for the American people.
    With the United Nations Security Council resolution passed 
yesterday, the world has now come together to say that the outlaw regime 
in Iraq will not be permitted to build or possess chemical, biological, 
or nuclear weapons. That is the judgment of the United Nations Security 
Council. That is the judgment of the United States Congress. And my

[[Page 2018]]

administration will see to it that the world's judgment is enforced.
    The resolution presents the Iraqi regime with a test, a final test. 
Iraq must now, without delay or negotiations, give up its weapons of 
mass destruction, welcome full inspections, and fundamentally change the 
approach it has taken for more than a decade. The regime must allow 
immediate and unrestricted access to every site, every document, and 
every person identified by inspectors. Iraq can be certain that the old 
game of cheat-and-retreat, tolerated at other times, will no longer be 
tolerated.
    Any act of delay or defiance will be an additional breach of Iraq's 
international obligations and a clear signal that the Iraqi regime has 
once again abandoned the path of voluntary compliance. If Iraq fails to 
fully comply with the U.N. resolution, the United States, in coalition 
with other nations, will disarm Saddam Hussein.
    Republicans and Democrats in Congress are strongly supporting our 
war against terror. As the current Congress returns to Washington this 
week, I hope we can act in the same spirit of unity to complete some 
unfinished business.
    The single most important item of unfinished business on Capitol 
Hill is to create a unified Department of Homeland Security that will 
vastly improve our ability to protect our borders, our coasts, and our 
communities. The Senate must pass a bill that will strengthen our 
ability to protect the American people and preserve the authority every 
President since John Kennedy has had to act in the interests of national 
security. Congress needs to send me a bill I can sign before it adjourns 
this year.
    We also have a responsibility to strengthen the economy so that 
people can find jobs. One immediate thing Congress can do to help put 
people to work is to pass legislation so that construction projects can 
get insurance against terrorism at a reasonable price. This will spur 
construction and create thousands of good hardhat jobs that are now on 
hold because projects without insurance cannot be built.
    Congress must also show fiscal discipline as it passes the 
appropriations bills. At a time when we're at war, at a time when we 
need to strengthen our economy, Congress must control wasteful spending 
while funding the Nation's priorities.
    American workers deserve action on these important economic issues. 
Our economy has come out of a recession and is growing. But I'm not 
satisfied, because I know we can do better. I want the economy to grow 
at a faster and stronger pace, so more Americans can find jobs. So I 
will work with our new Congress to pass a growth-and-jobs package early 
next year.
    Our Nation has important challenges ahead, at home and abroad. And 
we're determined to build the security and prosperity of America. Thank 
you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 9:35 a.m. on November 8 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November 9. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
November 8 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his 
remarks, the President referred to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of this address.