    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 36 (Monday, September 12, 2005)]
    [Pages 1350-1351]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    The President's Radio Address

    September 3, 2005

        Good morning. Yesterday I saw the aftermath of one of the largest
    natural disasters ever to strike America. A vast coastline of towns and
    communities are flattened; one of our great cities is submerged. The
    human costs are incalculable.
        Biloxi, I met Bronwynne Bassier and her sister, Kim. Bronwynne told
    me that the only earthly possessions she has left were the clothes on
    her back. I also met relief and rescue workers who are performing
    heroically in difficult circumstances. They've been working around the
    clock, risking their own lives to save the lives of others. Yet, despite
    their best efforts, the magnitude of responding to a crisis over a
    disaster area that is larger than the size of Great Britain has created

    [[Page 1351]]

    tremendous problems that have strained State and local capabilities. The
    result is that many of our citizens simply are not getting the help they
    need, especially in New Orleans. And that is unacceptable.
        During my visit I discussed these problems at length with Governor
    Riley of Alabama, Governor Barbour of Mississippi, Governor Blanco of
    Louisiana, and Mayor Nagin of New Orleans. Each State will have its own
    set of challenges and issues to solve. Yet all of us agree that more can
    be done to improve our ability to restore order and deliver relief in a
    timely and effective manner.
        This morning I received a briefing on the latest developments on the
    ground. Right now there are more than 21,000 National Guard troops
    operating in Louisiana and Mississippi, and more are on the way. More
    than 13,000 of these troops are in Louisiana. The main priority is to
    restore and maintain law and order and assist in recovery and evacuation
    efforts. In addition to these National Guard forces, the Department of
    Defense has deployed more than 4,000 active duty forces to assist in
    search and recovery and provide logistical and medical support.
        Hour by hour, the situation on the ground is improving. Yet the
    enormity of the task requires more resources and more troops. Today I
    ordered the Department of Defense to deploy additional active duty
    forces to the region. Over the next 24 to 72 hours, more than 7,000
    additional troops from the 82d Airborne, from the 1st Cavalry, the 1st
    Marine Expeditionary Force, and the 2d Marine Expeditionary Force will
    arrive in the affected areas. These forces will be on the ground and
    operating under the direct command of General Russ Honore.
        Our priorities are clear: We will complete the evacuation as quickly
    and safely as possible. We will not let criminals prey on the
    vulnerable, and we will not allow bureaucracy to get in the way of
    saving lives.
        Yesterday I also signed a $10.5 billion emergency aid package to
    fund our ongoing relief efforts. This is a downpayment on what will be a
    sustained Federal commitment to our fellow citizens along the Gulf
    Coast. I want to thank the Congress for their quick, bipartisan action,
    and I look forward to working with them in the days and weeks ahead.
        I know that those of you who have been hit hard by Katrina are
    suffering. Many are angry and desperate for help. The tasks before us
    are enormous, but so is the heart of America. In America, we do not
    abandon our fellow citizens in their hour of need. And the Federal
    Government will do its part. Where our response is not working, we'll
    make it right. Where our response is working, we will duplicate it. We
    have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters all along the Gulf
    Coast, and we will not rest until we get this right and the job is done.
        This week we've all been humbled by the awesome powers of Mother
    Nature. And when you stand on the porch steps where a home once stood,
    or look at row upon row of buildings that are completely under water,
    it's hard to imagine a bright future. But when you talk to the proud
    folks in the area, you see a spirit that cannot be broken.
        The emergency along the Gulf Coast is ongoing. There's still a lot
    of difficult work ahead. All Americans can be certain our Nation has the
    character, the resources, and the resolve to overcome this disaster. We
    will comfort and care for the victims. We will restore the towns and
    neighborhoods that have been lost in Louisiana, Mississippi, and
    Alabama. We will rebuild the great city of New Orleans. And we will once
    again show the world that the worst adversities bring out the best in
    America.
        May God bless you, and may God continue to bless our country.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House. In his address, he referred to Gov. Bob Riley of Alabama; Gov.
    Haley Barbour of Mississippi; Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of
    Louisiana; Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans, LA; and Lt. Gen. Russel L.
    Honore, USA, commanding general, First United States Army. The Office of
    the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this
    address.