[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 39 (Monday, September 29, 2003)]
[Page 1254]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Briefing on Hurricane Damage at the Virginia State 
Police Academy in Richmond, Virginia

September 22, 2003

    If I may have your attention for a second, first, I want to thank 
Governor Warner for his hospitality and leading this important State 
through Hurricane Isabel. I also want to congratulate those of you who 
work with me at the Federal level. You're doing a fabulous job, and I'm 
proud of you. I know a lot of you have come from other parts of our 
country and your families are at home, and I want to thank you for just 
taking a little extra effort to help a fellow citizen in need.
    The response to this hurricane has been really great. The planning 
for it has been great. The response during the hurricane was great, and 
the response after the hurricane has been great. And I want to thank you 
all for working hard to make it happen. You make me proud to be a fellow 
employee of the people at the Federal level.
    We've got a lot of work to do. The Governor and I were discussing 
the needs here of the citizens of Virginia. We're going to keep working 
hard to get the electricity up and running. There are crews working 24/7 
so that people can get the electricity they need. I was talking to 
Congressman Bobby Scott and Congressman Eric Cantor about the needs of 
their district. And they're, like the Governor, deeply concerned about 
the fact that too many of the citizens don't have electricity. A lot do 
now, but too many don't. But I want to thank the companies for bringing 
in extra workers. And I want to thank those workers, who are manning the 
chainsaws and getting the lines back up so people can have electricity.

    In the meantime, we're working to make sure that we get water and 
ice to the people so that they can move on with their lives. I want to 
thank the local folks, State folks, and the county and city police, 
firefighters and emergency responders and the mayors for their hard work 
as well. The truth of the matter is, the frontline on any emergency is 
the local people. And you've done your State proud, and you've done your 
citizens proud.

    I want to thank the people who are loving their neighbor just like 
they'd like to be loved themselves. There's a lot of neighborliness 
taking place in the State of Virginia and North Carolina and Maryland, 
where somebody hurts and somebody's lonely, somebody needs help is 
finding refuge and solace because a fellow citizen has taken it upon him 
or herself to help somebody in need.

    You know, the true character of this country comes out during times 
of stress and emergency. And this country has responded once again. So 
on behalf of a grateful nation, I want to thank people at all levels of 
our Government for working extra hard to help our country when it needed 
help.

    May God bless those who hurt. May God bless those who still mourn 
the loss of life. And may God continue to bless America. Thank you all 
very much.

Note: The President spoke at 2:54 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to 
Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia.