[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.