[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 1 (Monday, January 9, 2006)]
[Pages 4-5]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting on the PATRIOT Act

January 3, 2006

    Earlier today, I spoke to Governor Manchin of West Virginia. I told 
him that Americans all across our country were praying for the miners 
who are trapped in the mine there in West Virginia. I told him that I 
appreciated the great outpouring of compassion from the West Virginia 
citizens toward those worried family members. I also assured him that 
the Federal Government will help the folks in West Virginia any way we 
can to bring those miners out of that mine, hopefully in good condition. 
And may God bless those who are trapped below the Earth, and may God 
bless those who are concerned about those trapped below the Earth.
    I also have just met with folks on the frontline of fighting the war 
on terror. U.S. Attorneys from around the country have joined us. Folks 
from the FBI, whose job it is to protect the American people, are with 
us as well.
    We're talking about the PATRIOT Act and how useful the PATRIOT Act 
has been to safeguard America and, at the same time, safeguard liberties 
of Americans. And yet, the PATRIOT Act is going to expire in 30 days. 
And these good folks, whose task it is to do everything they can to 
protect the American people from a terrorist enemy that wants to hit us 
again, is asking the United States Congress to give them the tools 
necessary to do their jobs. And I'm asking the Congress to do so as 
well.

    The American people expect to be protected, and the PATRIOT Act is a 
really important tool for them to stay protected. You know, the Congress 
says to people in the administration, ``How come you haven't connected 
the dots?'' And the PATRIOT Act is an important way to help connect the 
dots to protect the people.

    This PATRIOT Act was passed overwhelmingly by the United States 
Congress in 2001. Members from both parties came together and said, ``We 
will give those on the frontline of protecting America the tools 
necessary to protect American citizens, and at the same time, guard the 
civil liberties of our citizens.'' For 4 years, that's what's happened. 
These good folks have used the PATRIOT Act to protect America. There's 
oversight on this important program. And now, when it came time to renew 
the act, for partisan reasons, in my mind, people have not stepped up 
and have agreed that it's still necessary to protect the country. The 
enemy has not gone away. They're still there. And I expect Congress to 
understand that we're still at war, and they've got to give us the tools 
necessary to win this war.

    And so for the next 30 days, I look forward to working with Members 
of Congress and speaking to the American people as clearly as I can 
about the importance of renewing the PATRIOT Act.

    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 1:42 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Joe Manchin III of West 
Virginia. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of these remarks.

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