FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 01, 2005
|
The White House - Office of the Press Secretary
|
President Asks Bush and Clinton to Assist in Hurricane Relief Efforts |
|
The Oval Office
1:45 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. Thanks for coming. I'm honored to be with
former Presidents Bush and Clinton. Thank you all for being here. We just spent
some time talking about the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. I brought
them up to date on what I know about the latest developments there on the
ground. We're united in our sympathy; we're united in our determination to help
the good people that have been affected by this hurricane.
I'm in close contact with Secretary Chertoff. He was in the Oval Office
earlier today. He's in close contact with FEMA Director Brown.
I want to make sure I fully understand the relief efforts and the extent of
the relief efforts and the progress of the relief efforts. After all, we're
dealing with one of the largest relief efforts in our nation's history, and the
federal government has got an important role to play. Our first priority, of
course, is to save lives. There are over 80 FEMA teams that have been deployed
to the Gulf Coast to conduct search and rescue missions. I want to thank those
who are working long hours for their dedication to saving lives. We've got Coast
Guard folks and Navy and Army and Air Force and National Guardsmen from many
different states that are delivering needed supplies and providing the rescue
missions, trying to reach those in danger.
We're working hard to repair the breaches in the levees. Federal, state, and
local agencies are also cooperating to sustain life. That means getting food and
water to those who are stranded. Medical personnel and local officials are
helping hospital patients and people gathered in the Superdome to evacuate.
Again, I want to thank the folks in Texas for welcoming those people. Bus
caravans are shuttling back and forth between Houston and New Orleans to get
those folks to Houston. Law enforcement and National Guardsmen and local leaders
are working to restore public order.
Earlier today, General Blum, along with Mike Chertoff, gave me a briefing
about the number of Guards-folks trained in police work that will be moving into
New Orleans, as well as other law enforcement officials from around the area. As
we speak, people are moving into the New Orleans area to maintain law and order.
I thank them for their good work. Government agencies are working with
faith-based and community groups to find shelters for thousands of displaced
persons.
And finally, we're moving forward with a comprehensive recovery strategy.
We're working hard to restore electric power, repair transportation
infrastructure, restart energy production, and of course, strategize as to how
to provide housing for these folks. I met with Chairman Greenspan at lunch, as
well as the economic team, to evaluate the impact of Hurricane Katrina. We
particularly spent a lot of time talking about the damage done to our energy
infrastructure and its effect on the availability and price of gasoline.
In our judgment, we view this storm as a temporary disruption that is being
addressed by the government and by the private sector. We've taken immediate
steps to address the issue. The Secretary of Energy is approving loans of crude
oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The EPA has provided a temporary
nationwide waiver for fuel requirements so supplies of gasoline can move more
easily within our country and so that we can attract more gasoline from
overseas.
We're also working with energy companies to repair and reactivate major
refineries and pipelines. The good folks must understand that major refineries
have been shut down, which means it's going to be hard to get gasoline to some
markets. We're working to help these pipelines get up and running. Pipelines
carry refined product.
And so we're working with the majors -- major oil companies to get the --
with Colonial Pipeline so they can carry the products of the major oil
companies, the refined products. Right now, the Colonial Pipeline, which is a
major pipeline serving the East Coast, is back in operation, but only at 50
percent capacity. We anticipate that as the days go by, more and more of that
capacity will be restored. Other major pipelines are coming back online. But as
I said, we're going to have a temporary disruption of gasoline product.
Another challenge we face is that the downed pipelines are causing the need
to transport gasoline to needed markets by ship. Under current law, shipping
between American ports can only take place on American ships, and there are
currently not enough American ships to move the oil and gasoline to where it's
needed. So today I've instructed Secretary of Homeland Security Chairman
Chertoff to temporarily waive this requirement, so foreign ships can also help
distribute oil and gasoline to where it's needed. Today's action will further
help us move gasoline to accommodate the demands of the American citizens.
Steps we're taking will help address the problem of availability, but it's
not going to solve it. Americans should be prudent in their use of energy during
the course of the next few weeks. Don't buy gas if you don't need it.
This recovery is going to be a long process. It's going to take a lot of hard
work and patience and resolve. It's also going to require a lot of money. And
the federal government will do its part. But the private sector needs to do its
part, as well. And that's why I've asked Presidents Bush and Clinton to lead a
nationwide fundraising effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
In the days ahead, the former Presidents will ask Americans to open their
hearts and their wallets to help those in need. And they're going to talk to
large corporations and small businesses and individual citizens across the
nation. The contributions will benefit the relief organizations that are doing
vital work on the ground. We're going to take a look and make sure that the
money raised is money needed. Right now if our fellow citizens want to help,
they ought to give a cash donation to the Red Cross, which they can find at
phone number 1-800-HELP-NOW.
I was so proud of the efforts that President Clinton and President Bush did
to help the victims of the tsunami relief. Our country marveled at their
capacity to rally our citizens and to work together. And, once again, I've asked
them to work to help the needs of those who hurt. And, once again, I'm confident
that the American people will respond.
I know this is an agonizing time, or we all know this is an agonizing time
for the people of the Gulf Coast. I ask their continued patience as recovery
operations unfold. I can assure them that the thoughts and prayers of the entire
nation are with them and their loved ones. I'm also confident that when it's all
said and done, the efforts to rebuild the great city of New Orleans and to
rebuild those communities in Mississippi and to help the folks in Alabama will
make this nation a stronger place.
May God bless you all.
END 2:50 P.M. EDT
|