[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 30 (Monday, July 26, 2004)]
[Page 1356]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Receiving the Report of the National Commission on Terrorist 
Attacks Upon the United States

July 22, 2004

    The President. It's been my honor to welcome Chairman Kean, Vice 
Chairman Hamilton to the Oval Office. We just had a good discussion 
about the 9/11 Commission Report. I want to thank these two gentlemen 
for serving their country so well and so admirably. They've done a 
really good job of learning about our country, learning about what went 
wrong prior to September the 11th, and making very solid, sound 
recommendations about how to move forward. I assured them that where 
Government needs to act, we will.
    I want to thank the Commission members as well. These people worked 
really hard, long hours. They took time out of their private lives to 
serve America and have left their mark in a very constructive and 
positive way.
    These two men bring a commonsense approach to how to move forward. 
They recognize what I recognize and America recognizes, that there's 
still a threat and that we in Government have an obligation to do 
everything in our power to safeguard the American people. And the report 
that they are about to present to me puts out some very constructive 
recommendations. And I look forward to studying their recommendations 
and look forward to working with responsible parties within my 
administration to move forward on those recommendations.
    As well, we look forward to working with the Congress on the 
implementation of ways to do our duty. And the most important duty we 
have is the security of our fellow countrymen.
    So, thank you, men, for your service. I'm proud you're here. You did 
a wonderful job.
    Commission Chairman Thomas H. Kean. Mr. President, we'd like to 
present you a copy of our report. I thank you very much for giving me 
the honor of serving. I thank you also on behalf of the Commission for 
unprecedented access to documents and cooperation from your 
administration. We were able to see things that no commission or no 
Member of Congress has ever seen in doing our work. And we thank you for 
allowing us to do that.
    The President. Thank you, Tom. Good job. Thanks, Lee. I appreciate 
you. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 9:33 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House.