Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996 / Sept. 14 1751 the world, and all the American people de- the tobacco, the corn, perhaps some others, serve better than that. and I'd like to hear about that. We just want Thanks for listening. to know what the full dimensions of the prob- lems are and what we can do to help, and NOTE: The address was recorded at 9:25 p.m. on we'll do our best. September 13 in the Map Room for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on September 14. [At this point, the roundtable discussion began.] Remarks in a Roundtable Discussion The President. First of all, I would like on Hurricane Fran in Raleigh, North toÐlet me begin by thanking all of you who Carolina have spoken and those who worked in public September 14, 1996 capacities and the citizens who told their sto- ries. Thank you in Wilmington, Mr. Mayor, The President. Thank you, Governor. I and the others for joining us by satellite. The don't want to say too much right now. We wonders of modern technology have given mostly just came down to listen and to see us a picture of that house, which proves that what we could do to help. But I would like no matter how modern technology gets, we to say, first of all, that like most Americans, are not in total control, and I thank you all I've followed the course of the hurricane and for what you have done. the storms and the rains. I have followed very What I'd like to do in the time we have closely. I did see the video on the way down available here is just toÐfirst of all, let me of theÐspecifically focusing on your damage tell you that we talkedÐthe Governor and along the beach, but I also have watched over Congresswoman Clayton and I talked on the the last several days as the damage took its way down here with Leon Panetta and Mr. toll and then this remarkable job of cleaning Witt and others about what we could do be- that has been done. fore the Congress goes home, maybe, to get I want to thank all of you who have worked a little help here for North Carolina and for on this. I frankly was amazed when we flew the other States that were damaged not as over the damaged area and how much had badly, but there was still quite a bit of signifi- been done to at least prepare the way to re- cant damage from Hurricane Fran in some build the homes and to get the trees up and other States and whether we could get some- do the other things that have been done, and thing done. So we're looking at that. I take my hat off to you. And we will do What I'd like to do is to have the clearest whatever we can to help. A lot of our admin- picture I can when I leave here today of what istration people have been down here. Sec- your priorities are. Phil Lader, our Small retary RileyÐI asked Secretary Riley this Business Administration director, is here. morning, I said, ``Dick, why are you coming Jim, you told me, I think, 50,000 small busi- with us today?'' And he said, ``Well, I'm a nesses have been hurt by this hurricane, and Carolinian,'' he said. [Laughter] He said, I think we've acknowledged everyone else ``Besides, there were schools damaged; I be- here. North Carolinian Martin Lancaster is long down there.'' here from the Defense Department, and And I thank you for what you said about General Genega, the head of the Corps of James Lee Witt. I thought I should send Engineers. someone down here who did not speak with We'd like to know exactly what you need an accentÐ[laughter]Ðso that you wouldÐ done the most quickly, and what priorityÐ there would be no time lost in translation. what we need to be sensitive to. And we want But I believe that if we can perform as well to do the best we can to try to fashion this over the next several weeks as the people relief package that's as adequate as possible of North Carolina have performed in the last within the limits of the law. We also want week, we will be able to recover from this. to organize our own efforts in a way that is I also know, Governor, you told me on the most helpful to you. way down there has been an enormous We've been dealing with the emergencies amount of loss to the agricultural crops, to in the last week, but Mr. Culbreth just saidÐ VerDate 28-OCT-97 13:46 Nov 18, 1997 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P38SE4.016 p38se4 1752 Sept. 14 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996 I mean, I frankly was astonished that you had be moving on. And we want to justÐI think over 98 percent of the people hooked up to the main thing is, just to get as much happen- their power again. I think it's a stunning ing as quickly as possible. It's obvious that achievement. But now we need to focus on you are all very well organized and will make where to go from here and how to do the the most of whatever is given to you. rebuilding. I'm glad to see Commissioner I'd like to thank the Red Cross and all of Graham out there, and, Mr. Campbell, I'm the volunteers. I know you've had people glad to see you. here from 18 or 20 States coming in. I see I asked on the way in about the farm losses some of our AmeriCorps volunteers out and how we could help to deal with that. there; I know they've been working; I thank So I'd just like for anybody here around the them for doing that. If you can think of any- table or out in the audienceÐagain, there thing elseÐlet me tell you what we're going are a couple of public officials I see on the to do on the budget issue. We talked to Con- television there in Wilmington or at least citi- gresswoman Clayton, and we'll get in touch zens who haven't said anything. Anybody with Senator Helms and the others next wants to say anything else to me about what weekÐwell, the first of the week, the day you feel should be done in what order, I after tomorrowÐto see if before the Con- would like to hear it. gress recesses for the election recess, we can find an amendment process by which we At this point, the discussion continued. [ ] could actually get some relief now so that The President. I guess one of the things it's not just a bill that everybody says they're I would like to point out, just parenthetically, for, that we actually produced something for on the Federal assistance, most of the Fed- you in the next 3 or 4 days. We could do eral assistance I think is funds we need to it next week if we got real lucky and every- get to you for these big categories of things, body just pulled together. whereas the mayor said, the people will know You know, this country has been so af- what to do with it. There are some things flicted by disasters in the last 4 years, just where we have direct Federal appropriations, since I've been President, I mean from the where we're going to be looking to see that earthquakes and the floods and the fires in we have done everything that we should doÐ California to the Pacific Northwest and the I'll give you an exampleÐto fix the Federal- 500-year flood in the Mississippi River Valley aid roads and the bridges, you know, where to any number of things that have happened we ought to be moving that money as quickly along the East Coast. My guess is that there as possible. I think thatÐand they've un- will be an enormous amount of sympathy for leashed another $5 million or something this across the country, because all of those today that can fix a lot of the bridges. people know that people from North Caro- And then there's money we have directly lina and West Virginia and Virginia helped from the Department of Labor to help peo- them when they were in need, and I think ple who have lost their jobs, either to hire they will respond. them as temporary workers or to retrain At this point, the discussion continued. them, do whatever is necessary, and I believe [ ] that about $8 million has been allocated for The President. Thank you very much, that. And so I think that's important, too. Governor. Let me just say in closing, I've We want to make sure that we haveÐthat been coming to North Carolina for many, on the laws already on the books, the money many years now, long before I ever got into already appropriated, the things that the my present line of endeavor. And I've always Federal Government can just go ahead and been impressed by the combination of sort pay for directly, even though the work may of old-fashioned, friendly hospitality and cre- be done on contract or by people down here, ative aggressionÐ[laughter]Ðin this State.