For Immediate Release
October 23, 2004
President's Radio Address
Canton, Ohio
Audio
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. In the three years since September the 11th attacks, our government has acted decisively to protect the homeland. This week, I took another important step by signing the 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. This bill provides essential resources for Coast Guard patrols and port security, for the federal Air Marshal program, and for technology that will defend aircraft against missiles.
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With this law, we are adding new resources to patrol our borders
and to verify the identity of foreign visitors to America. The new law
also includes vital money for first responders, and for better security
of chemical facilities and nuclear plants and water treatment plants
and bridges and subways and tunnels.
All these measures show the unwavering commitment of our
government. And since 2001, we have tripled overall spending for
homeland security. We are doing everything in our power to protect the
American people. There is more to do, and we are moving forward.
To protect America, our country needs the best possible
intelligence. Chairman Tom Kean and other members of the 9/11
Commission made thoughtful and valuable recommendations on intelligence
reform. My administration is already implementing the vast majority of
those recommendations that can be enacted without a vote of Congress.
We are expanding and strengthening the capabilities of the CIA. We are
transforming the FBI into an agency whose primary focus is stopping
terrorism. We have established the Terrorist Threat Integration Center
so we can bring together all the available intelligence on terrorist
threats in one place.
But other changes require new laws. Congress needs to create the
position of the National Intelligence Director, with strong authority
over the personnel and budgets of our intelligence agencies. These and
other reforms are necessary to make our intelligence community more
effective and to stay ahead of the threats. My administration has sent
proposed legislation to Capitol Hill, and we are working with Congress
to pass a good bill. I urge Congress to act quickly, so I can sign
these needed reforms into law.
The surest way to defend our country is to stay on the offensive
against terrorists. In an era of weapons of mass destruction, waiting
for threats to arrive at our doorsteps is to invite disaster. Tyrants
and terrorists will not give us polite notice before they attack our
country. As long as I am the Commander-in-Chief, I will confront
dangers abroad so we do not have to face them here at home.
My opponent has a fundamental misunderstanding of the war on
terror. Senator Kerry was recently asked how September the 11th had
changed him. He replied -- quote -- "It didn't change me much at
all." End quote. And his unchanged world view becomes obvious when he
calls the war on terror, "primarily an intelligence and law enforcement
operation." That is very dangerous thinking. We must fight the war on
terror with every asset of our national power.
We are waging a global campaign from the mountains of Central Asia
to the deserts of the Middle East, and from the Horn of Africa to the
Philippines. These efforts are paying off. Since September the 11th,
2001, more than three-quarters of al Qaeda's key members and associates
have been killed, captured, or detained. The rest of them know we will
hunt them down.
America faces a grave threat, and our government is doing
everything in its power to confront and defeat that threat. We're
making progress in protecting our homeland, and progress against the
terrorists who seek to harm our nation. And by staying focused and
determined, we will prevail.
Thank you for listening.
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