Text 1478, 71 rader
Skriven 2005-09-23 23:33:04 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (050923) for Fri, 2005 Sep 23
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President Briefed on Hurricane Rita Preparations at FEMA
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 23, 2005

President Briefed on Hurricane Rita Preparations at FEMA
FEMA Headquarters
Washington, D.C.


˙˙˙˙˙Fact Sheet: The Federal Government's Hurricane Rita Preparations
˙˙˙˙˙In Focus: Hurricane Relief

12:32 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: I stopped by the center to get a full briefing on Rita.
We're now facing yet another big storm, and I appreciate the folks here who
are working so hard to help the folks on the ground prepare for the storm.

I'm going down to San Antonio to see the pre-positioned assets, understand
the relationship -- or that the federal government's role is to support
state and local governments. I want to watch that happen. Then I'm going to
go out to our NORTHCOM headquarters to watch the interface between our
United States military, and again the state and local authorities. Our job
is to assist -- prepare for and assist the state and local people to save
lives and to help these people get back on their feet.

Again, I want to thank the people here in Washington who are working with
the folks in the -- out in the field to do everything they possibly can to
prepare for this second big storm that's coming into the Gulf of Mexico.

Thank you all.

Q Sir, what good can you do going down to the hurricane zone? Might you get
in the way, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: One thing I won't do is get in the way.

Q But I mean, how -- what good can you actually do? I mean, isn't there a
risk of you and your entourage getting in the way?

THE PRESIDENT: No, there will be no risk of me getting in the way, I
promise you. We're going to make sure that we're not in the way of the
operations. What I am going to do is observe the relationship between the
state and local government, particularly out in Colorado Springs. That's
what I want to see.

See, NORTHCOM is the main entity that interfaces, that uses federal assets,
federal troops to interface with local and state government. I want to
watch that relationship. It's an important relationship, and I need to
understand how it works better.

Q But critics might say this is overcompensation for the response to
Katrina.

THE PRESIDENT: We will make sure that my entourage does not get in the way
of people doing their job, which will be search and rescue immediately. And
rest assured, I understand that we must not and will not interfere with the
important work that will be going forward.

Thank you.

END 12:34 P.M. EDT
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