    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 31 (Monday, August 6, 2007)]
    [Page 1041]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    The President's Radio Address

    August 3, 2007

        Good morning. Today I'm traveling to Minneapolis to the site of
    Wednesday's tragic bridge collapse. Like millions of Americans, I was
    shocked and saddened when I heard the news that the I-35 bridge gave way
    during rush hour. The bridge was a major traffic artery, and when it
    collapsed dozens of cars fell into the Mississippi River.
        Laura and I join all Americans in mourning those who lost their
    lives and in sending our thoughts and prayers to their families. And we
    pray that those injured will make a full recovery.
        On Thursday morning, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and
    Federal Highway Administrator Richard Capka traveled to Minneapolis.
    They announced $5 million in immediate Federal funding for debris
    removal and to help restore the flow of traffic. This is just the
    beginning of the financial assistance we will make available to support
    the State in its recovery efforts. Several Federal agencies are on the
    ground aiding State and local officials, including the National
    Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
    the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Environmental
    Protection Agency.
        I recognize how important the I-35 bridge is to the State of
    Minnesota, and my administration is committed to working closely with
    Governor Pawlenty and Mayor Rybak to rebuild this bridge as quickly as
    possible.
        In times of tragedy, our hearts ache for those who suffer, yet our
    hearts are also lifted by acts of courage and compassion. We saw those
    qualities in the residents of a nearby apartment building who rushed to
    the scene to offer their help. We saw them in the divers who fought the
    mighty currents of the Mississippi to reach victims, and we saw them in
    the firefighters who searched car to car for survivors.
        Among the survivors was a group of kids returning from a summer
    field trip. Their school bus had just passed over the Mississippi River,
    when the bridge below them gave way. The bus dropped more than 20 feet
    and came to rest on the guardrail of the collapsed bridge span. A staff
    member named Jeremy Hernandez quickly swung into action. He broke open
    the backdoor and helped evacuate the terrified children to safety. The
    mother of one of the children on board credited Jeremy's presence of
    mind with helping spare her daughter from tragedy. She put it this way:
    ``I don't know what he was thinking, but it must have been something
    really good.''
        Our country is fortunate to have brave and selfless citizens like
    Jeremy, and all those who risked their own safety to aid in the rescue.
    This is a difficult time for the community in Minneapolis, but the
    people there are decent and resilient, and they will get through these
    painful hours. As they do, they know that all of America stands with
    them, and that we will do all we can to help them recover and rebuild.
        May God bless those who are hurting in Minneapolis, and may God
    bless our wonderful country. Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on August 3 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 4. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    August 3. In his radio address, the President referred to Gov. Tim
    Pawlenty of Minnesota; and Mayor R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis, MN. The
    Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of this address.