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 Home > News & Policies > July 2006

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 31, 2006

President Bush Tours Port of Miami
U.S. Coast Guard Integrated Support Command Miami
Miami, Florida

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11:24 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: I want to thank Admiral Allen and the members of the Coast Guard for what has been a really interesting tour of the Port of Miami.

A couple of things. One, it's clear that the money we've been spending to help secure our ports is working. In other words, new technologies -- there's new ways to investigate cargo that gets here. Obviously, there's more work to be done, but one of the most innovative projects we've done, by the way, is to have a -- is to use ports of -- the disembarkation to inspect cargo, so that the cargo has been inspected before it arrives here.

President George W. Bush stands with Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, as he talks with reporters following his tour of the U.S. Coast Guard Integrated Support Command at the Port of Miami Monday, July 31, 2006.  White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt So I want to thank you all for the tour. I'm real proud of our Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is really, really good. And part of our efforts is to work with the Coast Guard leadership to make sure the Coast Guard is modernized, that they've got the latest choppers, the good boats to be able to do their job.

We talked about a lot of issues besides port security. One of the big issues that people face here is the migration issue; a lot of people trying to sneak into Florida. And the Coast Guard is doing their job to enforce our policy, and I appreciate them for their hard work.

At the United Nations today, the Security Council passed a resolution regarding Iran's attempt to have nuclear weapons. It's a strong resolution. I want to thank our partners. This resolution follows up on North Korea resolution, and it goes to show that when America takes the lead and works with our friends, we're able to accomplish diplomatic objectives.

And now Condi Rice comes back from the Middle East, and will be working with our friends and allies on a resolution regarding Lebanon. But the Iranians must hear loud and clear with this resolution, the world is intent upon working together to make sure that they do not end up with a nuclear weapon or the know-how to build a nuclear weapon.

Again, I want to thank our allies on this very important resolution, and remind the American people that we've had a strategy in place to send a common message, a unified message to the Iranian leadership.

I want to thank you all. Appreciate it.

END 11:26 A.M. EDT
President George W. Bush meets with the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard vessel "Valiant" during his visit to the Integrated Support Command at the Port of Miami Monday, July 31, 2006. White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt