[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 2 (Monday, January 17, 2005)]
[Pages 31-32]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

January 8, 2005

    Good morning. Americans continue to mourn the victims of the 
devastating tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. More than 150,000 lives are 
now feared lost, including tens of thousands of children.
    Communities have been decimated from Indonesia to Thailand to India 
to East Africa. Thousands are missing or injured, and millions are 
thought to be homeless or without food and clean water.

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    The world has united behind this urgent cause, and the United States 
is taking a leading role. We're working with other governments, relief 
organizations, and the United Nations to coordinate a swift and 
effective international response. We are rushing food, medicine, and 
other vital supplies to the region. And we are focusing efforts on 
helping the women and children who need special attention, including 
protection from the evil of human trafficking.
    This past week, I sent a delegation led by Secretary of State Colin 
Powell and Governor Jeb Bush of Florida to the Indian Ocean region. They 
surveyed the damage in several countries, met with local and regional 
leaders, assessed the relief efforts in place, and began to evaluate 
what more can be done to help. Secretary Powell reported that American 
relief efforts are making major visible progress.
    We have made an initial commitment of $350 million in aid. And those 
funds are being distributed promptly to organizations on the ground. 
Navy vessels, including the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, have moved into the 
region to help provide food, medical supplies, and clean water. 
Helicopters and other military aircraft are meeting critical needs by 
airlifting supplies directly to victims in remote areas. As in so many 
other places, our service men and women are showing the courage and 
compassion of our Nation to the world.
    We're also seeing the good heart of America in an outpouring of 
generosity here at home. Private citizens are showing their compassion 
in creative and inspiring ways. On a rainy day in Washington State, 
children sold hot chocolate by the side of the road and gave their 
profits to charity. Seven professional basketball players pledged to 
donate $1,000 to UNICEF for every point they scored in a game. American 
businesses have contributed cash and products, and many are matching 
donations by their employees. Churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, 
and other religious congregations are taking up special collections for 
disaster victims.
    To draw even greater amounts of private donations, I asked former 
Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush to lead a nationwide charitable 
fundraising drive. Their mission is to encourage contributions, both 
large and small, directly to the organizations with recovery efforts 
underway in the disaster area.
    I am grateful to the courageous relief groups that have responded so 
quickly to this catastrophe, including the Red Cross and Red Crescent, 
Salvation Army, Catholic Relief Services, Save the Children, CARE, 
AmeriCares, and many others. Many of these organizations have long 
experience with natural disasters and in-depth knowledge of the recovery 
needs. They're in the best position to use donations wisely and 
effectively.
    To encourage support for these groups, I have signed legislation 
allowing Americans to deduct from their 2004 Federal income tax cash 
contributions made to tsunami relief efforts this month. I urge all 
Americans to contribute as they are able. More information about making 
a donation is available on the Internet at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.
    In this time of grief for so many around the world, Americans have 
come together to pray for the victims and families of the tsunami 
disaster. We think especially of the children who have been lost and the 
survivors searching for their families. And we offer our sustained 
compassion and generosity as the people of the devastated region begin 
to rebuild.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on January 7 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on January 8. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
January 7 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
this address.