Address to the Nation on Homeland Security from Atlanta November 8
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1614 Nov. 8 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2001 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 Atlanta 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 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 08:21 Nov 14, 2001 Jkt 197250 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P45NOT4.009 pfrm01 PsN: P45NOT4 Administration of George W. Bush, 2001 / Nov. 8 1615 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 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 08:21 Nov 14, 2001 Jkt 197250 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P45NOT4.009 pfrm01 PsN: P45NOT4 1616 Nov. 8 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2001 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.