    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 35 (Monday, September 4, 2006)]
    [Pages 1512-1513]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    The President's Radio Address

    August 26, 2006

        Good morning. Earlier this week, I had coffee with Rockey Vaccarella
    in the White House. Rockey is from St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana, and
    he and his family lost everything they owned to Hurricane Katrina.
    Rockey drove to Washington to thank the Federal Government for its
    efforts to help people like him, and he brought a trailer along to help
    remind us that many good people along our gulf coast are still living in
    difficult conditions and that the hard work of rebuilding has only just
    begun.
        This Tuesday marks the first anniversary of Katrina--one of the
    deadliest and most costly natural disasters in American history. In
    Mississippi, the storm wiped out virtually everything along an 80-mile
    stretch of the coast, flattening homes and destroying entire
    communities. In Louisiana, flooding left 80 percent of the city of New
    Orleans underwater. The human costs were even more terrible. More than a
    thousand people died, countless families lost their homes and
    livelihoods, and tens of thousands of men, women, and children were
    forced to flee the region and leave behind everything they knew.
        During the storm and in the days that followed, Americans responded
    with heroism and compassion. Coast Guard and other personnel rescued
    people stranded in flooded neighborhoods and brought them to high
    ground. Doctors and nurses stayed behind to care for their patients, and
    some even went without food so their patients could eat. Many of the
    first-responders risking their lives to help others were victims
    themselves--wounded healers, with a sense of duty greater than their own
    suffering. And across our great land, the armies of compassion rallied
    to bring food and water and hope to fellow citizens who had lost
    everything. In these and countless other selfless acts, we saw the
    spirit of America at its best.
        Unfortunately, Katrina also revealed that Federal, State, and local
    governments were unprepared to respond to such an extraordinary
    disaster. And the floodwaters exposed a deep-seated poverty that has cut
    people off from the opportunities of our country. So last year, I made a
    simple pledge: The Federal Government would learn the lessons of
    Katrina; we would do what it takes, and we would stay as long as it
    takes, to help our brothers and sisters build a new gulf coast, where
    every citizen feels part of the great promise of America.
        That was the same pledge I repeated to Rockey during his visit to
    the White House. This pledge meant stronger levees and rebuilt homes and
    new infrastructure. It also means safe streets and neighborhoods filled
    with locally-owned businesses and more opportunities for everyone.
        Next week, Laura and I will return to Mississippi and New Orleans to
    meet with local citizens and officials, and review the progress we have
    made. The Federal Government has conducted a thorough review of its
    response to natural disasters, and we're making reforms that will
    improve our response to future emergencies. With help from Congress, we
    have committed $110 billion to the recovery effort, and we are playing a
    vital role in helping people clear debris, repair and rebuild their
    homes, reopen their businesses and schools, and put their lives back
    together.
        The Federal Government will continue to do its part. Yet a reborn
    gulf coast must reflect the needs, the vision, and the aspirations of
    the people of Mississippi and Louisiana. And their State and local
    officials have a responsibility to help set priorities and make tough
    decisions, so people can plan their futures with confidence.
        One year after the storms, the gulf coast continues down the long
    road to recovery. In Mississippi and Louisiana, we can see many
    encouraging signs of recovery and renewal, and many reminders that hard
    work still lies ahead. This work will require the sustained commitment
    of our Government,

    [[Page 1513]]

    the generosity and compassion of the American people, and the talent and
    vision of people determined to restore their homes, neighborhoods, and
    cities. We will stay until the job is done, and by working together, we
    will help our fellow citizens along the gulf coast write a new future of
    hope, justice, and opportunity for all.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 9:25 a.m. on August 24 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 26. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    August 25 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office
    of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of
    this address.