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so next year. But we’re collecting all the in- meet the Nation’s needs. We have hardly formation to make sure that our strategy is even begun to spend the $40 billion that they seamless and the budget reflects a seamless presented. But we’re listening to all requests. strategy. Thank you, everybody. Q. Thank you, Mr. President. Smallpox Vaccines The President. My pleasure. Q. Mr. President, what’s your take on the call for a universal application of smallpox NOTE: The President spoke at 5:25 p.m. in audito- vaccines for all Americans? rium B of the CDC headquarters building. A tape was not available for verification of the content The President. We’re in the process of— of these remarks. I’m looking at different options for smallpox. One thing is for certain, we need to make sure vaccines are available if there were to Address to the Nation on Homeland ever be an outbreak. Security From As to whether or not we ought to have November 8, 2001 mandatory vaccinations, I’m working with Tommy Thompson on that. One of my con- Thank you so very much. We meet tonight cerns is, if we were to have universal vaccina- after two of the most difficult and most in- tion, some might lose their life. And I would spiring months in our Nation’s history. We be deeply concerned about a vaccination pro- have endured the shock of watching so many gram that would cause people to lose their innocent lives ended in acts of unimaginable life. But I’m looking at all options, all possi- horror. We have endured the sadness of so bilities, and we’ll work with the smartest many funerals. We have faced unprece- minds in America to develop the best strate- dented bioterrorist attack, delivered in our gies in how to deal with a potential smallpox mail. attack. Tonight many thousands of children are tragically learning to live without one of their Homeland Security parents. And the rest of us are learning to Q. Mr. President, do you think the Postal live in a world that seems very different than Service should be bailed out? The Post- it was on September the 10th. master General is suggesting billions may be The moment the second plane hit the sec- needed. ond building—when we knew it was a ter- The President. We are looking at all op- rorist attack—many felt that our lives would portunities to spend money in our Govern- never be the same. What we couldn’t be sure ment, and we’re going to make sure that any of then and what the terrorists never ex- supplemental that may or may not occur next pected was that America would emerge year fits into an overall national strategy. I stronger, with a renewed spirit of pride and told the appropriators in Congress that we patriotism. believe we’ve got ample money to make it I said in my speech to a Joint Session of through the holiday season and the beginning Congress that we are a nation awakened to of next year, that the $40 billion that they danger. We’re also a nation awakened to appropriated in the supplemental is ample service and citizenship and compassion. to meet our homeland security needs as well None of us would ever wish the evil that has as our defense needs, and that before we been done to our country, yet we have spend more money, let’s make sure we have learned that out of evil can come great good. a national strategy to deal with the homeland During the last 2 months, we have shown defense issue. And that’s—the Postal Service the world America is a great nation. Ameri- is part of the homeland defense. cans have responded magnificently, with So we’ll look at all opportunities to spend courage and caring. We’ve seen it in our chil- money. But I urge Congress not to break the dren, who have sent in more than $1 million budget agreement that we signed off to in for the children of Afghanistan. We have early October. And I remind them that the seen it in the compassion of Jewish and $40 billion of supplemental is enough to Christian Americans who have reached out

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to their Muslim neighbors. We have seen it We wage a war to save civilization, itself. as Americans have reassessed priorities, par- We did not seek it, but we will fight it, and ents spending more time with their children we will prevail. and many people spending more time in This is a different war from any our Nation prayer and in houses of worship. has ever faced, a war on many fronts, against We have gained new heroes: those who terrorists who operate in more than 60 dif- ran into burning buildings to save others, our ferent countries. And this is a war that must police and our firefighters; those who battled be fought not only overseas but also here at their own fears to keep children calm and home. I recently spoke to high school stu- safe, America’s teachers; those who volun- dents in Maryland and realized that for the tarily placed themselves in harm’s way to de- first time ever, these seniors will graduate fend our freedom, the men and women of in the midst of a war in our own country. the Armed Forces. We have entered a new era, and this new And tonight we join in thanking a whole era requires new responsibilities, both for the new group of public servants who never en- Government and for our people. listed to fight a war but find themselves on The Government has a responsibility to the frontlines of a battle nonetheless: those protect our citizens, and that starts with who deliver the mail, America’s postal work- homeland security. The first attack against ers. We also thank those whose quick re- America came by plane, and we are now sponse provided preventative treatment that making our airports and airplanes safer. We has no doubt saved thousands of lives, our have posted the National Guard in America’s health care workers. airports and placed undercover air marshals We are a different country than we were on many flights. I call on Congress to quickly on September the 10th, sadder and less inno- send me legislation that makes cockpits more cent, stronger and more united, and in the secure, baggage screening more thorough, and puts the Federal Government in charge face of ongoing threats, determined and cou- of all airport screening and security. rageous. The second attack against America came Our Nation faces a threat to our freedoms, in the mail. We do not know whether this and the stakes could not be higher. We are attack came from the same terrorists. We the target of enemies who boast they want don’t know the origin of the anthrax, but to kill—kill all Americans, kill all Jews, and whoever did this unprecedented and uncivi- kill all Christians. We’ve seen that type of lized act is a terrorist. hate before, and the only possible response Four Americans have now died from an- is to confront it and to defeat it. thrax, out of a total of 17 people who have This new enemy seeks to destroy our free- been infected. The Postal Service has proc- dom and impose its views. We value life; the essed more than 30 billion pieces of mail terrorists ruthlessly destroy it. We value edu- since September the 11th, and so far we’ve cation; the terrorists do not believe women identified three different letters that con- should be educated or should have health tained anthrax. We can trace the source of care or should leave their homes. We value infection for all but one of the individuals, the right to speak our minds; for the terror- and we are still trying to learn how a woman ists, free expression can be grounds for exe- who died in New York was exposed. cution. We respect people of all faiths and I’m proud of the way our health care and welcome the free practice of religion; our postal workers—and the American people— enemy wants to dictate how to think and how are responding with calm in the face of this to worship, even to their fellow Muslims. deadly new threat. Public health officials This enemy tries to hide behind a peaceful have acted quickly to distribute preventative faith. But those who celebrate the murder antibiotics to thousands of people who may of innocent men, women, and children have have been exposed. The Government is pur- no religion, have no conscience, and have no chasing and storing medicines and vaccines mercy. as a precaution against future attacks. We are

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cleaning facilities where anthrax has been de- Taliban made a choice to continue hiding ter- tected and purchasing equipment to sanitize rorists, and now they are paying a price. the mail. Thousands of law enforcement offi- I’m so proud of our military. Our military cials are aggressively investigating this bioter- is pursuing its mission. We are destroying rorism attack, and public health officials are training camps, disrupting communications, distributing the most accurate, up-to-date in- and dismantling air defenses. We are now formation we have to medical professionals bombing Taliban frontlines. We are delib- and to the public. erately and systematically hunting down To coordinate our efforts we’ve created these murderers, and we will bring them to the new Office of Homeland Security. Its Di- justice. rector, my good friend and former Governor Throughout this battle, we adhere to our Tom Ridge, reports directly to me and works values. Unlike our enemy, we respect life. with all our Federal agencies, State and local We do not target innocent civilians. We care governments, and the private sector on a na- for the innocent people of Afghanistan, so tional strategy to strengthen our homeland we continue to provide humanitarian aid, protections. For example, the Coast Guard even while their Government tries to steal has taken on expanded duties to protect our the food we send. When the terrorists and shores and our ports. The National Guard their supporters are gone, the people of Af- has increased—an increased role in surveil- ghanistan will say with the rest of the world: lance at our border. We’re imposing new li- Good riddance. censing requirements for safer transportation We are at the beginning of our efforts in of hazardous material. Afghanistan, and Afghanistan is only the be- We’ve passed a new antiterrorism law ginning of our efforts in the world. No group which gives our law enforcement officers the or nation should mistake Americans’ inten- necessary tools to track terrorists before they tions: Where terrorist groups exist of global harm Americans. A new terrorism task force reach, the United States and our friends and is tightening immigration controls to make allies will seek it out, and we will destroy sure no one enters or stays in our country it. who would harm us. We are a welcoming After September the 11th, our Govern- country. We will always value freedom. Yet ment assumed new responsibilities to we will not allow those who plot against our strengthen security at home and track down country to abuse our freedoms and our pro- our enemies abroad. And the American peo- tections. ple are accepting new responsibilities, as Our enemies have threatened other acts well. of terror. We take each threat seriously, and I recently received a letter from a fourth when we have evidence of credible threats, grade girl that seemed to say it all. ‘‘I don’t we will issue appropriate alerts. A terrorism know how to feel,’’ she said, ‘‘sad, mad, angry. alert is not a signal to stop your life. It is It has been different lately. I know the peo- a call to be vigilant, to know that your Gov- ple in New York are scared because of the ernment is on high alert, and to add your World Trade Center and all, but if we’re eyes and ears to our efforts to find and stop scared, we are giving the terrorists all the those who want to do us harm. power.’’ In the face of this great tragedy, A lot of people are working really hard to Americans are refusing to give terrorists the protect America. But in the long run, the best power. Our people have responded with way to defend our homeland, the best way courage and compassion, calm and reason, to make sure our children can live in peace resolve and fierce determination. We have is to take the battle to the enemy and to stop refused to live in a state of panic or a state them. of denial. There is a difference between I have called our military into action to being alert and being intimidated, and this hunt down the members of the Al Qaida or- great nation will never be intimidated. ganization who murdered innocent Ameri- People are going about their daily lives, cans. I gave fair warning to the Government working and shopping and playing, wor- that harbors them in Afghanistan. The shiping at churches and synagogues and

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mosques, going to movies and to baseball groups in communities near our military in- games. [Laughter] Life in America is going stallations. forward, and as the fourth grader who wrote We also will encourage service to country me knew, that is the ultimate repudiation of by creating new opportunities within the terrorism. AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs for And something even more profound is public safety and public health efforts. We’ll happening across our country. The enormity ask State and local officials to create a new of this tragedy has caused many Americans modern civil defense service similar to local to focus on the things that have not changed, volunteer fire departments, to respond to the things that matter most in life: our faith, local emergencies when the manpower of our love for family and friends, our commit- governments is stretched thin. We will find ment to our country and to our freedoms and ways to train and mobilize more volunteers to our principles. to help when rescue and health emergencies In my Inaugural Address, I asked our citi- arise. zens to serve their Nation, beginning with Americans have a lot to offer, so I’ve cre- their neighbors. This fall, I had planned a ated a task force to develop additional ways new initiative called Communities of Char- people can get directly involved in this war acter, designed to spark a rebirth of citizen- effort, by making our homes and neighbor- ship and character and service. The events hoods and schools and workplaces safer. And of September the 11th have caused that ini- I call on all Americans to serve by bettering tiative to happen on its own, in ways we could our communities and, thereby, defy and de- never have imagined. feat the terrorists. Flags are flying everywhere, on houses, in Our great nation—national challenge is to store windows, on cars and lapels. Financial donations to the victims’ families have hunt down the terrorists and strengthen our reached more than a billion dollars. Count- protection against future attacks. Our great less Americans gave blood in the aftermath national opportunity is to preserve forever of the attacks. New Yorkers opened their the good that has resulted. Through this trag- homes to evacuated neighbors. We are wait- edy, we are renewing and reclaiming our ing patiently in long security lines. Children strong American values. across America have organized lemonade and Both Laura and I were touched by a recent cookie sales for children in Afghanistan. newspaper article that quoted a little 4-year- And we can do more. Since September the old girl, who asked a telling and innocent 11th, many Americans, especially young question. Wondering how terrorists could Americans, are rethinking their career hate a whole nation of people they don’t even choices. They’re being drawn to careers of know, she asked, ‘‘Why don’t we just tell service, as police or firemen, emergency them our names?’’ [Laughter] Well, we can’t health workers, teachers, counselors, or in tell them all our names, but together we can the military. And this is good for America. show them our values. Many ask, ‘‘What can I do to help in our Too many have the wrong idea of Ameri- fight?’’ The answer is simple. All of us can cans as shallow, materialistic consumers who become a September-the-11th volunteer by care only about getting rich or getting ahead. making a commitment to service in our own But this isn’t the America I know. Ours is communities. So you can serve your country a wonderful nation, full of kind and loving by tutoring or mentoring a child, comforting people, people of faith who want freedom the afflicted, housing those in need of shelter and opportunity for people everywhere. One and a home. You can participate in your way to defeat terrorism is to show the world Neighborhood Watch or Crime Stoppers. the true values of America through the gath- You can become a volunteer in a hospital, ering momentum of a million acts of respon- emergency medical, fire, or rescue unit. You sibility and decency and service. can support our troops in the field and, just I’m encouraging schoolchildren to write as importantly, support their families here at letters of friendship to Muslim children in home by becoming active in the USO or different countries. Our college students and

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those who travel abroad for business or vaca- ments have been acts of courage for which tion can all be ambassadors of American val- no one could have ever prepared. ues. Ours is a great story, and we must tell We will always remember the words of it, through our words and through our deeds. that brave man, expressing the spirit of a I came to Atlanta today to talk about an great country. We will never forget all we all-important question: How should we live have lost and all we are fighting for. Ours in the light of what has happened? We all is the cause of freedom. We’ve defeated free- have new responsibilities. dom enemies before, and we will defeat Our Government has a responsibility to them again. hunt down our enemies, and we will. Our We cannot know every turn this battle will Government has a responsibility to put need- take. Yet we know our cause is just and our less partisanship behind us and meet new ultimate victory is assured. We will, no doubt, challenges: better security for our people, face new challenges. But we have our march- and help for those who have lost jobs and ing orders: My fellow Americans, ‘‘Let’s roll.’’ livelihoods in the attacks that claimed so NOTE: The President spoke at 8:03 p.m. at the many lives. I made some proposals to stimu- World Congress Center. In his address, he re- late economic growth which will create new ferred to Kathy Nguyen, a hospital jobs and make America less dependent on worker who died October 31 of inhalation anthrax; foreign oil. And I ask Congress to work hard and Todd Beamer, a passenger aboard United Air- and put a stimulus plan into law to help the lines Flight 93 when it was hijacked and crashed American people. in Somerset, PA, on September 11. Our citizens have new responsibilities. We must be vigilant. Obviously, we must inspect Message to the Congress our mail and stay informed on public health Transmitting Reports of the matters. We will not give in to exaggerated Department of Transportation fears or passing rumors. We will rely on good judgment and good, old common sense. We November 8, 2001 will care for those who have lost loved ones To the Congress of the United States: and comfort those who might at times feel I transmit herewith the Department of afraid. Transportation’s Calendar Year 1999 reports We will not judge fellow Americans by ap- on Activities Under the National Traffic and pearance, ethnic background, or religious Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, the High- faith. We will defend the values of our coun- way Safety Act of 1966, and the Motor Vehi- try, and we will live by them. We will per- cle Information and Cost Savings Act of severe in this struggle, no matter how long 1972. it takes to prevail. George W. Bush Above all, we will live in a spirit of courage and optimism. Our Nation was born in that The , spirit, as immigrants yearning for freedom November 8, 2001. courageously risked their lives in search of NOTE: This message was released by the Office greater opportunity. That spirit of optimism of the Press Secretary on November 9. and courage still beckons people across the world who want to come here. And that spirit of optimism and courage must guide those Remarks Following Discussions With of us fortunate enough to live here. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Courage and optimism led the passengers of India and an Exchange With on Flight 93 to rush their murderers to save Reporters lives on the ground—led by a young man November 9, 2001 whose last known words were the Lord’s Prayer and ‘‘Let’s roll.’’ He didn’t know he President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, wel- had signed on for heroism when he boarded come to the United States. It’s my honor to the plane that day. Some of our greatest mo- welcome the Prime Minister of India to the

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