For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 11, 2002
Remarks by Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge to the American Society of Newspaper Editors
Washington, DC
As Prepared for Delivery
I think all Americans have a greater appreciation for the service you
provide because of September 11th and the days and weeks that
followed. As the nation collectively moved from shock, to grief, to
lingering uncertainty, newspapers helped us understand and cope with
our new circumstances.
"A newspaper can drop the same thought into a thousand minds at the
same moment," said Alexis de Tocqueville. "To suppose that they only
serve to protect freedom would be to diminish their importance; they
maintain civilization."
Today, civilization itself is under attack. That fact was brutally
brought home when one of your own, Daniel Pearl, was killed in barbaric
fashion, simply for doing his job representing a free press and a free
nation.
We're in a two-front war against terrorism - one overseas, and one
here at home. But a newspaper can do much more than bring the problems
of the world literally to our doorsteps. It can offer solutions - stir
people to action - and calm a nation's fears. All three are necessary
to homeland security.
As a nation, we have learned a great deal about what it will take
to secure our homeland in the six months since President Bush signed
the Executive Order creating this office.
Homeland security encompasses the food we eat and water we drink;
the air we breathe; the energy we use; the banking and finance systems
that ensure our prosperity; our transportation and public health
systems; and the new frontier of cyberspace.
The challenge is vast. But we are making real progress.
I wish every American could see what I see -- the round-the-clock
work being done by millions of talented people in the private sector
and at all levels of government. I've had the privilege of meeting
many of them over the past six months:
The Cincinnati firefighters who, with private support, have built a
world-class urban search and rescue team. Florida's model preparedness
effort, based on lessons learned from Hurricane Andrew.
Winston-Salem's enthusiastic community involvement. El Paso's border
agents who are using new technologies to keep terrorists out, while
enabling cross-border commerce and tourism to continued.
If you want to see the progress we've made on securing the
homeland, look no further than your hometowns.
But since I'm speaking to you as representative of the
Administration, let me directly address what the federal government has
done to date.
We launched the largest criminal investigation in history. Passed
the USA PATRIOT Act to bring federal law into the Information Age. Put
hundreds of air marshals on our planes and new federal screeners in our
airports. Deployed the National Guard to protect the border.
Refocused the mission of the Coast Guard toward defending our
coastline. Distributed more than a billion dollars to states' public
health systems to build up their bioterror response. Acquired more
than a billion doses of antibiotics. Stepped up security at our
national monuments and nuclear power plants. Conducted a top-to-bottom
security review of our entire energy infrastructure. Created the
Homeland Security Advisory System, which has garnered widespread praise
from first responders and law enforcement. And led a team of federal,
local and state experts to give the world the most secure Olympic
Winter Games ever.
These are just some of the actions that the federal government has
taken to plug the immediate gaps. More -- much more -- remains to be
done.
You've reported on some of the remaining challenges - from long
lines and security breaches at our airports to the possibilities of
attacks on our infrastructure.
You've sparked a public conversation about the more controversial
issues: How long should visitors to this nation stay? Should airline
pilots carry guns? Should sensitive information be taken down from the
Internet? Should changes be made to the FOIA?
A careful balance needs to be struck. Tough judgment calls have to
be made if we are to secure our homeland and preserve our national
principles and values. But we will not, as Ben Franklin said, trade
away our essential liberty in the process.
As a free and open and welcoming society, we always be at risk. We
can never totally eliminate it -- but we are working every day and
using every resource at our disposal to reduce it.
President Bush's homeland security budget has received widespread
bipartisan support.
It nearly doubles our investment from the previous year, in support
of four important goals: a thousand-percent increase for our "first
responders"; creating "smart borders"; building up our nation's
biodefense capability; and promoting information-sharing and technology
throughout all levels of government.
These four priorities were chosen for their ability to reduce the
risk of an attack, and the chance of casualties should one occur. But
there was a third reason.
Homeland security is a national, not just a federal effort. The
tone can be set in Washington. But the real day-to-day work will be
done in the 50 states and four territories, 3,000 counties and 18,000
municipalities of this great nation. That's where the front lines in
this war on terrorism lie.
These are the people who will respond to the next crisis - and who
will make the critical budget decisions on homeland security for years
to come.
This budget was guided not by how much we could spend, but by some
basic principles that will help these front-line "soldiers" do their
job.
First, the importance of planning. That cannot be overemphasized.
Our national strategy will rely on the strategies of the states and the
territories, which in turn rely on the plans of localities. All the
pieces must fit together if we are to have a seamless national
strategy.
That is why one-fourth of the budget proposed for first responders
will go to emergency management agencies -- the folks charged with
developing the statewide plans.
Next, coordination. A crisis is no time to exchange business cards
for the first time! Our budget encourages mutual aid agreements, which
are critical to an effective response. If first responders cannot
communicate with one another across agency or state lines, they lose
precious time.
Third, practice and drilling. It's the only way to identify the
gaps in our response. In homeland security, practice doesn't just make
perfect, practice saves lives.
Fourth, cooperation. Our Budget will start knocking down those
information "stovepipes" within government and turn them into
information pipelines so people can do their jobs.
Finally, partnerships. When we match the resources of the public
sector, the innovation and energy of the private sector and the
research of academia, no problem is too great to overcome.
Occasionally, a member of the press asks me if I'm concerned that
people are starting to tune out the homeland security message. Let me
put it another way: in the absence of another incident, can we
maintain the political will to continue? I tell them that's a very
good question. The answer is: we can never again afford to be
complacent.
The threat is real. America's towering skyscrapers, bustling
cities, modern transportation systems and intricate infrastructure make
us a target - and so do our constitutionally granted freedoms.
Every year, the power of technology spreads to new individuals and
organizations. That's good, because it means economic growth and
social advances. But it also means that terrorists have new powers to
do us harm. And it makes our vulnerability a permanent condition.
So we must stay strong -- stay alert - and stay the course.
I urge newspapers to keep writing the stories that help the
American people understand the risk, what we're doing to reduce the
risk, and, just as importantly, what they can do to help.
Henry Luce was once asked "What is the purpose of the press?" His
answer was "Res Publica" -- public affairs. You are an important part
of the homeland security dialogue, and I pledge to engage
constructively with you in the days and weeks ahead -- just as we are
doing today.
It is not the role of the press to be cheerleaders of government.
Your role is to provide the public with solid, honest, objective
information to help guide their lives. To inform them and educate them
about the risk of terrorism, without underreaction or overreaction.
A spirited free press that asks difficult questions may be seen by
our enemies as a weakness. But it is a great strength. Keep prodding,
keep analyzing, and keep educating your fellow citizens. That is the
best way to answer the enemies of America and freedom.
And what, in the end, will be the payoff? The President believes,
and I agree, that it's not just a safer, more secure America. It's a
better and a stronger America.
A nation better able to respond to natural disasters. A nation
with a revitalized public health system, equipped to fight Mother
Nature's worst diseases, not just man's. A nation creating good,
high-paying jobs thanks to increased trade with Canada and Mexico. A
nation that is more welcoming to her law-abiding immigrants.
My fondest hope is that homeland security can help spark a renewed
sense of national purpose and citizenship. We no longer have the
luxury of assuming that the security of our nation is somebody else's
problem.
More than 28,000 Americans have signed up for the President's new
Citizen Corps program. They will be making a direct contribution to
homeland security. Perhaps they will also be inspired to attend a PTA
meeting or to mentor a young student or to vote - or, at the very
least, to pick up a newspaper and learn about the outside world.
In the 1950s, Americans dug fallout shelters and ducked under their
desks. Today, Americans are emerging in their communities, fighting
evil with acts of compassion.
Democracy is not a spectator sport. We all have a contribution to
make. Thank you for making yours.
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