[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 35 (Monday, September 5, 2005)]
[Pages 1335-1336]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the Relief Efforts for Hurricane Katrina

August 31, 2005

    I've just received an update from Secretary Chertoff and other 
Cabinet Secretaries involved on the latest developments in Louisiana, 
Mississippi, and Alabama. As we flew here today, I also asked the pilot 
to fly over the Gulf Coast region so I could see firsthand the scope and 
magnitude of the devastation.
    The vast majority of New Orleans, Louisiana, is under water. Tens of 
thousands of homes and businesses are beyond repair. A lot of the 
Mississippi Gulf Coast has been completely destroyed. Mobile is flooded. 
We are dealing with one of the worst natural disasters in our Nation's 
history.
    And that's why I've called the Cabinet together. The people in the 
affected regions expect the Federal Government to work with the State 
government and local government with an effective response. I have 
directed Secretary of Homeland Security Mike Chertoff to chair a 
Cabinet-level task force to coordinate all our assistance from 
Washington. FEMA Director Mike Brown is in charge of all Federal 
response and recovery efforts in the field. I've instructed them to work 
closely with State and local officials as well as with the private 
sector to ensure that we're helping, not hindering, recovery efforts. 
This recovery will take a long time. This recovery will take years.
    Our efforts are now focused on three priorities: Our first priority 
is to save lives. We're assisting local officials in New Orleans in 
evacuating any remaining citizens from the affected area. I want to 
thank the State of Texas and particularly Harris County and the city of 
Houston and officials with the Houston Astrodome for providing shelter 
to those citizens who found refuge in the Superdome in Louisiana. Buses 
are on the way to take those people from New Orleans to Houston.
    FEMA has deployed more than 50 disaster medical assistance teams 
from all across the country to help those in the affected areas. FEMA 
has deployed more than 25 urban search and rescue teams with more than 
1,000 personnel to help save as many lives as possible. The United 
States Coast Guard is conducting search and rescue missions. They're 
working alongside local officials, local assets. The Coast Guard has 
rescued nearly 2,000 people to date.
    The Department of Defense is deploying major assets to the region. 
These include the USS Bataan to conduct search and rescue missions, 
eight swift water rescue teams, the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group 
to help with disaster response equipment, and the hospital ship USNS 
Comfort to help provide medical care.
    The National Guard has nearly 11,000 Guardsmen on State active duty 
to assist Governors and local officials with security and disaster 
response efforts. FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers are working 
around the clock with Louisiana officials to repair the breaches in the 
levees so we can stop the flooding in New Orleans.
    Our second priority is to sustain lives by ensuring adequate food, 
water, shelter, and medical supplies for survivors and dedicated 
citizens--dislocated citizens. FEMA is moving supplies and equipment 
into the hardest hit areas. The Department of Transportation has 
provided more than 400 trucks to move 1,000 truckloads containing 5.4 
million Meals Ready to Eat or MREs, 13.4 million liters of water, 10,400 
tarps, 3.4 million pounds of ice, 144 generators, 20 containers of pre-
positioned disaster supplies, 135,000 blankets, and 11,000 cots. And 
we're just starting.
    There are more than 78,000 people now in shelters. HHS and CDC are 
working with local officials to identify operating hospital facilities 
so we can help them, help the nurses and doctors provide necessary 
medical care. They're distributing medical supplies, and they're 
executing a public health plan to control disease and other health-
related issues that might arise.
    Our third priority is executing a comprehensive recovery effort. 
We're focusing

[[Page 1336]]

on restoring power and lines of communication that have been knocked out 
during the storm. We'll be repairing major roads and bridges and other 
essential means of transportation as quickly as possible.
    There's a lot of work we're going to have to do. In my flyover, I 
saw a lot of destruction on major infrastructure. Repairing the 
infrastructure, of course, is going to be a key priority.
    The Department of Energy is approving loans from the Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve to limit disruptions in crude supplies for refineries. 
A lot of crude production has been shut down because of the storm. I 
instructed Secretary Bodman to work with refiners, people who need crude 
oil, to alleviate any shortage through loans. The Environmental 
Protection Agency has granted a nationwide waiver for fuel blends to 
make more gasoline and diesel fuel available throughout the country. 
This will help take some pressure off of gas price. But our citizens 
must understand, this storm has disrupted the capacity to make gasoline 
and distribute gasoline.
    We're also developing a comprehensive plan to immediately help 
displaced citizens. This will include housing and education and health 
care and other essential needs. I've directed the folks in my Cabinet to 
work with local folks, local officials, to develop a comprehensive 
strategy to rebuild the communities affected. And there's going to be a 
lot of rebuilding done. I can't tell you how devastating the sights 
were.
    I want to thank the communities in surrounding States that have 
welcomed their neighbors during an hour of need. A lot of folks left the 
affected areas and found refuge with a relative or a friend, and I 
appreciate you doing that. I also want to thank the American Red Cross 
and the Salvation Army and the Catholic Charities and all other members 
of the armies of compassion. I think the folks in the affected areas are 
going to be overwhelmed when they realize how many Americans want to 
help them.
    At this stage in the recovery efforts, it's important for those who 
want to contribute, to contribute cash. You can contribute cash to a 
charity of your choice, but make sure you designate that gift for 
hurricane relief. You can call 1-800-HELP-NOW, or you can get on the Red 
Cross web page, redcross.org. The Red Cross needs our help. And I urge 
our fellow citizens to contribute.
    The folks on the Gulf Coast are going to need the help of this 
country for a long time. This is going to be a difficult road. The 
challenges that we face on the ground are unprecedented. But there's no 
doubt in my mind we're going to succeed. Right now the days seem awfully 
dark for those affected. I understand that. But I'm confident that, with 
time, you can get your life back in order, new communities will 
flourish, the great city of New Orleans will be back on its feet, and 
America will be a stronger place for it.
    The country stands with you. We'll do all in our power to help you. 
May God bless you. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 5:11 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House.