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May God bless your work, and may God to propose sweeping changes that will continue to bless America. Thank you all for strengthen our homeland against the ongoing coming. threat of terrorist attacks. Nearly 9 months have passed since the day NOTE: The President spoke at 7:48 p.m. on the that forever changed our country. Debris South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Tom Perini, chuckwagon cook, from what was once the World Trade Center Perini Ranch Steakhouse. has been cleared away in a hundred thousand truckloads. The west side of the Pentagon looks almost as it did on September the 10th. Executive Order 13264— And as children finish school and families Amendment to Executive Order prepare for summer vacations, for many life 13180, Air Traffic Performance- seems almost normal. Based Organization Yet, we are a different nation today, sadder June 4, 2002 and stronger, less innocent and more coura- geous, more appreciative of life, and for By the authority vested in me as President many who serve our country, more willing by the Constitution and the laws of the to risk life in a great cause. For those who United States of America, it is hereby or- have lost family and friends, the pain will dered that Executive Order 13180 of De- never go away, and neither will the respon- cember 7, 2000, is amended as follows: sibilities that day thrust upon all of us. Section 1. The first sentence of that order America is leading the civilized world in is amended by deleting ‘‘, an inherently gov- a titanic struggle against terror. Freedom and ernmental function,’’. fear are at war, and freedom is winning. To- Sec. 2. Section 6 of that order is amended night over 60,000 American troops are de- to read as follows: ‘‘This order is intended ployed around the world in the war against only to improve the internal management of terror: more than 7,000 in Afghanistan; oth- the executive branch and is not intended to, ers in the Philippines, Yemen, and the Re- nor does it, create any right to administrative public of Georgia, to train local forces. Next or judicial review, or any right, whether sub- week Afghanistan will begin selecting a rep- stantive or procedural, enforceable by any resentative government, even as American party against the United States, its agencies troops, along with our allies, still continu- or instrumentalities, its officers or employ- ously raid remote Al Qaida hiding places. ees, or any other person.’’ Among those we have captured is a man George W. Bush named Abu Zubaydah, Al Qaida’s chief of operations. From him and from hundreds of The White House, others, we are learning more about how the June 4, 2002. terrorists plan and operate, information cru- [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, cial in anticipating and preventing future at- 8:45 a.m., June 6, 2002] tacks. Our coalition is strong. More than 90 na- NOTE: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on June 6, and it tions have arrested or detained over 2,400 was published in the Federal Register on June 7. terrorists and their supporters. More than 180 countries have offered or are providing assistance in the war on terrorism. And our Address to the Nation on the military is strong and prepared to oppose any Proposed Department of emerging threat to the American people. Homeland Security Every day in this war will not bring the June 6, 2002 drama of liberating a country. Yet, every day brings new information, a tip or arrest, an- Good evening. During the next few min- other step or two or three in a relentless utes, I want to update you on the progress march to bring security to our Nation and we are making in our war against terror and justice to our enemies.

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Every day I review a document called the I applaud the leaders and employees at the threat assessment. It summarizes what our FBI and CIA for beginning essential reforms. intelligence services and key law enforce- They must continue to think and act dif- ment agencies have picked up about terrorist ferently to defeat the enemy. activity. Sometimes the information is very The first and best way to secure America’s general, vague talk, bragging about future at- homeland is to attack the enemy where he tacks. Sometimes the information is more hides and plans, and we’re doing just that. specific, as in a recent case when an Al Qaida We’re also taking significant steps to detainee said attacks were planned against strengthen our homeland protections, secur- financial institutions. ing cockpits, tightening our borders, stock- When credible intelligence warrants, ap- piling vaccines, increasing security at water propriate law enforcement and local officials treatment and nuclear powerplants. are alerted. These warnings are, unfortu- After September the 11th, we needed to nately, a new reality in American life, and move quickly, and so I appointed Tom Ridge we have recently seen an increase in the vol- as my Homeland Security Adviser. As Gov- ume of general threats. Americans should ernor Ridge has worked with all levels of gov- continue to do what you’re doing. Go about ernment to prepare a national strategy and your lives, but pay attention to your sur- as we have learned more about the plans and roundings. Add your eyes and ears to the pro- capabilities of the terrorist network, we have tection of our homeland. concluded that our Government must be re- organized to deal more effectively with the In protecting our country, we depend on new threats of the 21st century. So tonight the skill of our people, the troops we send I ask the Congress to join me in creating a to battle, intelligence operatives who risk single, permanent department with an over- their lives for bits of information, law en- riding and urgent mission, securing the forcement officers who sift for clues and homeland of America and protecting the search for suspects. We are now learning that American people. before September the 11th, the suspicions Right now as many as a hundred different and insights of some of our frontline agents Government agencies have some responsibil- did not get enough attention. ities for homeland security, and no one has My administration supports the important final accountability. For example, the Coast work of the intelligence committees in Con- Guard has several missions, from search and gress to review the activities of law enforce- rescue to maritime treaty enforcement. It re- ment and intelligence agencies. We need to ports to the Transportation Department, know when warnings were missed or signs whose primary responsibilities are roads, unheeded, not to point the finger or blame rails, bridges, and the airways. The Customs but to make sure we correct any problems Service, among other duties, collects tariffs and prevent them from happening again. and prevents smuggling, and it is part of the Based on everything I’ve seen, I do not Treasury Department, whose primary re- believe anyone could have prevented the sponsibility is fiscal policy, not security. horror of September the 11th. Yet, we now Tonight I propose a permanent Cabinet- know that thousands of trained killers are level Department of Homeland Security to plotting to attack us, and this terrible knowl- unite essential agencies that must work more edge requires us to act differently. closely together: Among them, the Coast If you’re a frontline worker for the FBI, Guard, the Border Patrol, the Customs Serv- the CIA, some other law enforcement or in- ice, Immigration officials, the Transportation telligence agency and you see something that Security Administration, and the Federal raises suspicions, I want you to report it im- Emergency Management Agency. Employ- mediately. I expect your supervisors to treat ees of this new agency will come to work it with the seriousness it deserves. Informa- every morning knowing their most important tion must be fully shared so we can follow job is to protect their fellow citizens. every lead to find the one that may prevent The Department of Homeland Security tragedy. will be charged with four primary tasks: This

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new agency will control our borders and pre- History has called our Nation into action. vent terrorists and explosives from entering History has placed a great challenge before our country; it will work with State and local us: Will America, with our unique position authorities to respond quickly and effectively and power, blink in the face of terror, or will to emergencies; it will bring together our we lead to a freer, more civilized world? best scientists to develop technologies that There’s only one answer: This great country detect biological, chemical, and nuclear will lead the world to safety, security, peace, weapons, and to discover the drugs and treat- and freedom. ments to best protect our citizens; and this Thank you for listening. Good night, and new Department will review intelligence and may God bless America. law enforcement information from all agen- cies of Government and produce a single daily picture of threats against our homeland. NOTE: The President spoke at 8 p.m. in the Cross Hall at the White House. Analysts will be responsible for imagining the worst and planning to counter it. The reason to create this Department is Remarks Prior to a Meeting With not to create the size of Government but to Congressional Leaders and an increase its focus and effectiveness. The staff Exchange With Reporters of this new Department will be largely drawn from the agencies we are combining. By end- June 7, 2002 ing duplication and overlap, we will spend less on overhead and more on protecting Department of Homeland Security America. This reorganization will give the The President. I want to welcome Mem- good people of our Government their best bers of the Senate and the House, members opportunity to succeed by organizing our re- of both political parties, to the Cabinet Room sources in a way that is thorough and unified. this morning to discuss how best to imple- What I am proposing tonight is the most ment the strategy that I talked about last extensive reorganization of the Federal Gov- night, that other Members of Congress have ernment since the 1940s. During his Presi- been talking about for awhile, and that is the dency, Harry Truman recognized that our development of the Department of Home- Nation’s fragmented defenses had to be reor- land Security. ganized to win the cold war. He proposed We’ve got a lot of work to do to get this uniting our military forces under a single De- Department implemented. There’s going to partment of Defense and creating the Na- be a lot of turf protection in the Congress. tional Security Council to bring together de- fense, intelligence, and diplomacy. Truman’s But I’m convinced that by working together, reforms are still helping us to fight terror that we can do what’s right for America, and abroad, and now we need similar dramatic I believe we can get something done. reforms to secure our people at home. To this end, I’m going to direct Tom Ridge Only the United States Congress can cre- to testify before Congress about the need for ate a new department of Government. So to- the establishment of this Cabinet agency. I night I ask for your help in encouraging your feel strongly that he is the—he can represent Representatives to support my plan. We face the interests of the administration on the an urgent need, and we must move quickly, Hill, and he can bring our message to the this year, before the end of the congressional Hill. session. All in our Government have learned And I look forward to working with Sen- a great deal since September the 11th, and ators Lieberman and Specter and Members we must act on every lesson. We are stronger of the House to get this important legislation and better prepared tonight than we were passed. Obviously, the sooner the debate be- on that terrible morning, and with your help gins, the sooner the passage of this bill can and the support of the Congress, we will be happen. And that’s good for the country. stronger still.

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