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Skriven 2006-08-26 23:31:20 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060826) for Sat, 2006 Aug 26
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President's Radio Address
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 26, 2006

President's Radio Address


ÿÿÿÿÿ Audio ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Hurricane Katrina ÿÿÿÿÿ

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.

Earlier this week, I had coffee with Rockey Vaccarella in the White House.
Rockey is from Saint Bernard Parish in Louisiana, and he and his family
lost everything they owned to Hurricane Katrina. Rockey drove to Washington
to thank the federal government for its efforts to help people like him.
And he brought a trailer along to help remind us that many good people
along our Gulf Coast are still living in difficult conditions, and that the
hard work of rebuilding has only just begun.

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This Tuesday marks the first anniversary of Katrina -- one of the deadliest
and most costly natural disasters in American history. In Mississippi, the
storm wiped out virtually everything along an 80-mile stretch of the coast,
flattening homes and destroying entire communities. In Louisiana, flooding
left 80 percent of the city of New Orleans underwater. The human costs were
even more terrible. More than a thousand people died, countless families
lost their homes and livelihoods, and tens of thousands of men, women, and
children were forced to flee the region and leave behind everything they
knew.

During the storm and in the days that followed, Americans responded with
heroism and compassion. Coast Guard and other personnel rescued people
stranded in flooded neighborhoods and brought them to high ground. Doctors
and nurses stayed behind to care for their patients, and some even went
without food so their patients could eat. Many of the first-responders
risking their lives to help others were victims themselves -- wounded
healers, with a sense of duty greater than their own suffering. And across
our great land, the armies of compassion rallied to bring food and water
and hope to fellow citizens who had lost everything. In these and countless
other selfless acts, we saw the spirit of America at its best.

Unfortunately, Katrina also revealed that federal, state, and local
governments were unprepared to respond to such an extraordinary disaster.
And the floodwaters exposed a deep-seated poverty that has cut people off
from the opportunities of our country. So last year I made a simple pledge:
The federal government would learn the lessons of Katrina, we would do what
it takes, and we would stay as long as it takes, to help our brothers and
sisters build a new Gulf Coast where every citizen feels part of the great
promise of America.

That was the same pledge I repeated to Rockey during his visit to the White
House. This pledge meant stronger levees and rebuilt homes and new
infrastructure. It also means safe streets and neighborhoods filled with
locally owned businesses, and more opportunities for everyone.

Next week, Laura and I will return to Mississippi and New Orleans to meet
with local citizens and officials, and review the progress we have made.
The federal government has conducted a thorough review of its response to
natural disasters, and we're making reforms that will improve our response
to future emergencies. With help from Congress, we have committed $110
billion to the recovery effort, and we are playing a vital role in helping
people clear debris, repair and rebuild their homes, reopen their
businesses and schools, and put their lives back together.

The federal government will continue to do its part -- yet a re-born Gulf
Coast must reflect the needs, the vision, and the aspirations of the people
of Mississippi and Louisiana. And their state and local officials have a
responsibility to help set priorities and make tough decisions, so people
can plan their futures with confidence.

One year after the storms, the Gulf Coast continues down the long road to
recovery. In Mississippi and Louisiana, we can see many encouraging signs
of recovery and renewal, and many reminders that hard work still lies
ahead. This work will require the sustained commitment of our government,
the generosity and compassion of the American people, and the talent and
vision of people determined to restore their homes, neighborhoods, and
cities. We will stay until the job is done, and by working together, we
will help our fellow citizens along the Gulf Coast write a new future of
hope, justice, and opportunity for all.

Thank you for listening.

END
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