[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 8 (Monday, February 24, 2003)]
[Pages 213-214]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

February 15, 2003

    Good morning. Last week the national terrorist threat level was 
raised to ``high.'' This is primarily a signal to Federal, State, and 
local law enforcement to take additional precautions and increase 
security measures against potential terrorist attacks. Raising the 
threat level also informs the general public to be more alert to their 
surroundings and prepared for possible emergencies in the event of an 
attack.
    Americans should go about their lives. And for those seeking 
specific guidance on how to be more vigilant, I encourage you to visit 
the Department of Homeland Security web site at DHS.gov.
    These recent threats are a stark reminder that our country remains 
engaged in a war on terror. Our enemies are still determined to attack 
America, and there is no such thing as perfect security against a hidden 
network of killers. Yet, I assure you that our government at every level 
is responding to this threat, working to track down every lead and 
standing watch 24 hours a day against terrorism.
    This past week, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge issued 
strategic plans to protect our critical infrastructure. These plans will 
guide local officials in securing our Nation's dams and powerplants, 
electrical grids, computer networks, and communications systems.
    Our effort to safeguard the homeland includes tighter security at 
the borders and ports of entry. We have posted more than 50,000 newly 
trained Federal screeners at airports. We have begun inoculating troops 
and first-responders against smallpox. We are deploying the Nation's 
first early warning network of sensors to detect biological attack. And 
we are moving to better coordinate the efforts of law enforcement.
    This week at FBI headquarters, I spoke to some of the fine men and 
women who are leading our antiterrorism efforts in law enforcement and 
intelligence. The FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, and 
Department of Defense are working together as never before to assemble 
and analyze the threat information so we can act before our enemies can 
strike us.
    We are gathering the best information possible and using it to make 
sure the right people are in the right places to protect our citizens. 
Throughout the country, Joint Terrorism Task Forces are bringing 
together Federal, State, and local officials to fight terrorism. The FBI 
is expanding its terrorist identification system so that 18,000 State 
and local law enforcement agencies will be able to identify known or 
suspected terrorists almost immediately. Local police will be able to 
access Federal terrorist information from their squad cars to determine 
whether individuals they have pulled over or detained have terrorist 
links.
    I've also asked Congress to fill a critical need in our defense 
against bioterror by committing almost $6 billion to quickly make 
available effective vaccines and treatments against agents like 
smallpox, anthrax, botulinum toxin, Ebola, and plague.
    Our Nation is preparing for a variety of threats we hope never will 
arrive. Many of these dangers are unfamiliar and unsettling. Yet the 
best way to fight these dangers is to anticipate them and act against 
them with focus and determination. This vigilance is a fundamental 
responsibility of your Government, and we are fulfilling that duty in 
every way we can.
    In the fight against terror, the American people are resolute. We 
will persevere, and we will prevail.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 10:15 a.m. on February 14 in the 
Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on February

[[Page 214]]

15. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on February 14 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.