Remarks by the President

Temple Street Bridge

Paterson, New Jersey

1:44 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, obviously visiting Wayne, visiting Paterson, many of these surrounding communities, gives you a sense of the devastation that's taken place not only here in New Jersey but in upstate New York and Vermont and a whole range of states that were affected by Hurricane Irene.

I want to thank Governor Christie, Mayor Jones, the entire congressional delegation that has coordinated in an unprecedented way to try to deal with this crisis.  And part of what I think has helped to avert even worse tragedies and greater loss of life is because of the extraordinary responsiveness and farsighted thinking of state, local and federal personnel.  I'm very proud of the work that FEMA has done not only from our central agency but, more importantly, the folks locally here on the ground who have been coordinating with the emergency management teams here in New Jersey.

I want to thank the Red Cross for their extraordinary responsiveness.  We've seen a huge outpouring of volunteers; the private sector is getting involved in trying to do what they can to help the communities that have been hard hit.

The main message that I have for all the residents not only of New Jersey but all those communities that have been affected by flooding, by the destruction that occurred as a consequence of Hurricane Irene is that the entire country is behind you and we are going to make sure that we provide all the resources that are necessary in order to help these communities rebuild.

And I know that there's been some talk about whether there's going to be a slowdown in getting funding out here, emergency relief.  As President of the United States, I want to make it very clear that we are going to meet our federal obligations -- because we're one country, and when one part of the country gets affected, whether it's a tornado in Joplin, Missouri, or a hurricane that affects the Eastern Seaboard, then we come together as one country and we make sure that everybody gets the help that they need.  And the last thing that the residents here of Paterson or the residents of Vermont or the residents of upstate New York need is Washington politics getting in the way of us making sure that we are doing what we can to help communities that have been badly affected.

So, again, I want to thank federal, state, local officials who have been working around the clock to respond to this crisis. We know it could have been worse but we should not underestimate the heartache that's going through a lot of these communities and affecting a lot of these families.  And we want to make sure that we're there to help, and I'm going to make sure that even after the cameras are gone and attention is somewhere else that FEMA and federal officials continue to work with our local officials to make sure we're doing the right thing.

So, thank you, guys.

Q    Mr. President, Congressman Cantor has talked about offsetting budget cuts --

THE PRESIDENT:  We're going to make sure resources are here. All right?

END
1:46 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President at 93rd Annual Conference of the American Legion

Minneapolis Convention Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota

10:52 A.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT: Hello Legionnaires! It is wonderful to see all of you. Let me, first of all, thank Commander Foster for your introduction and for your lifetime of service to your fellow Marines, soldiers and veterans. On behalf of us all, I want to thank Jimmie and I want to thank your entire leadership team for welcoming me here today. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Your National Adjutant, Dan Wheeler; your Executive Director, your voice in Washington, Peter Gaytan, who does just an extraordinary job; and the President of the American Legion Auxiliary, Carlene Ashworth -- thank you for your extraordinary service. (Applause.) To Rehta Foster and all the spouses, daughters and sisters of the Auxiliary, and the Sons of the American Legion -- as military families, you also serve, and we salute all of you as well.

There are some special guests here I want to acknowledge. They may have already been acknowledged, but they're great friends so I want to make sure that I point them out. First of all, the wonderful governor of Minnesota, Mark Dayton, is here. (Applause.) Two senators who are working on behalf of veterans every single day -- Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken. (Applause.) Congressman Keith Ellison -- this is his district. (Applause.) Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, a great friend. (Applause.) To all the other members of Congress and Minnesota elected officials who are here, welcome.

It is wonderful to be back with the American Legion. Back in Illinois, my home state -- (applause.) Hey! Illinois is in the house. (Laughter.) We worked together to make sure veterans across the state were getting the benefits they had earned. When I was in the U.S. Senate, we worked together to spotlight the tragedy of homelessness among veterans -— and the need to end it.

As President, I’ve welcomed Jimmie and your leadership to the Oval Office to hear directly from you. And I have been -- (applause.) I've been honored to have you by my side when I signed advance appropriations to protect veterans' health care from the budget battles in Washington, -- (applause) -- when I signed legislation to give new support to veterans and their caregivers, and, most recently, when I proposed new initiatives to make sure the private sector is hiring our talented veterans.

So, American Legion, I thank you for your partnership. I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you today about what we need to do to make sure America is taking care of our veterans as well as you’ve taken care of us.

And I’m grateful to be with you for another reason. A lot of our fellow citizens are still reeling from Hurricane Irene and its aftermath. Folks are surveying the damage. Some are dealing with tremendous flooding. As a government, we’re going to make sure that states and communities have the support they need so their folks can recover. (Applause.)

And across the nation, we’re still digging out from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. It’s taking longer and it's been more difficult than any of us had imagined. And even though we’ve taken some steps in the right direction, we've got a lot more to do. Our economy has to grow faster. We have to create more jobs, and we have to do it faster. And most of all, we've got to break the gridlock in Washington that’s been preventing us from taking the action we need to get this country moving. (Applause.) That’s why, next week, I’ll be speaking to the nation about a plan to create jobs and reduce our deficit -– a plan that I want to see passed by Congress. We've got to get this done.

And here’s what else I know. We Americans have been through tough times before, much tougher than these. And we didn’t just get through them; we emerged stronger than before. Not by luck. Not by chance. But because, in hard times, Americans don’t quit. We don’t give up. (Applause.) We summon that spirit that says, when we come together, when we choose to move forward together, as one people, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.

And, Legionnaires, you know this story because it's the story of your lives. And in times like these, all Americans can draw strength from your example. When Hitler controlled a continent and fascism appeared unstoppable, when our harbor was bombed and our Pacific fleet crippled, there were those that declared that the United States had been reduced to a third-class power. But you, our veterans of World War II, crossed the oceans and stormed the beaches and freed the millions, liberated the camps and showed the United States of America is the greatest force for freedom that the world has ever known. (Applause.)

When North Korea invaded the South, pushing the allied forces into a tiny sliver of territory -— the Pusan Perimeter —- it seemed like the war could be lost. But you, our Korean War veterans, pushed back, fought on, year after bloody year. And this past Veterans Day, I went to Seoul and joined our Korean War veterans for the 60th anniversary of that war, and we marked that milestone in a free and prosperous Republic of Korea, one of our greatest allies.

When communist forces in Vietnam unleashed the Tet Offensive, it fueled the debate here at home that raged over that war. You, our Vietnam veterans, did not always receive the respect that you deserved —- which was a national shame. But let it be remembered that you won every major battle of that war. Every single one. (Applause.) As President, I’ve been honored to welcome our Vietnam veterans to the White House and finally present them with the medals and recognition that they had earned. It’s been a chance to convey, on behalf of the American people, those simple words with which our Vietnam veterans greet each other -— “Welcome home.” (Applause.)

Legionnaires, in the decades that followed, the spirit of your service was carried forth by our troops in the sands of Desert Storm and the rugged hills of the Balkans. And now, it's carried on by a new generation. Next weekend, we'll mark the 10th anniversary of those awful attacks on our nation. In the days ahead, we will honor the lives we lost and the families that loved them; the first responders who rushed to save others; and we will honor all those who have served to keep us safe these 10 difficult years, especially the men and women of our Armed Forces.

Today, as we near this solemn anniversary, it’s fitting that we salute the extraordinary decade of service rendered by the 9/11 Generation -— the more than 5 million Americans who've worn the uniform over the past 10 years. They were there, on duty, that September morning, having enlisted in a time of peace, but they instantly transitioned to a war footing. They’re the millions of recruits who have stepped forward since, seeing their nation at war and saying, “Send me.” They’re every single soldier, sailor, airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman serving today, who has volunteered to serve in a time of war, knowing that they could be sent into harm’s way.

They come from every corner of our country, big cities, small towns. They come from every background and every creed. They’re sons and daughters who carry on the family’s tradition of service, and they're new immigrants who’ve become our newest citizens. They’re our National Guardsmen and Reservists who've served in unprecedented deployments. They’re the record number of women in our military, proving themselves in combat like never before. And every day for the past 10 years, these men and women have succeeded together -— as one American team. (Applause.)

They're a generation of innovators, and they’ve changed the way America fights and wins at wars. Raised in the age of the Internet, they’ve harnessed new technologies on the battlefield. They’ve learned the cultures and traditions and languages of the places where they served. Trained to fight, they’ve also taken on the role of diplomats and mayors and development experts, negotiating with tribal sheikhs, working with village shuras, partnering with communities. Young captains, sergeants, lieutenants -- they've assumed responsibilities once reserved for more senior commanders, and reminding us that in an era when so many other institutions have shirked their obligations, the men and women of the United States military welcome responsibility. (Applause.)

In a decade of war, they've borne an extraordinary burden, with more than 2 million of our service members deploying to the warzones. Hundreds of thousands have deployed again and again, year after year. Never before has our nation asked so much of our all-volunteer force -— that one percent of Americans who wears the uniform.

We see the scope of their sacrifice in the tens of thousands who now carry the scars of war, both seen and unseen -— our remarkable wounded warriors. We see it in our extraordinary military families who serve here at home -— the military spouses who hold their families together; the millions of military children, many of whom have lived most of their young lives with our nation at war and mom or dad deployed.

Most profoundly, we see the wages of war in those patriots who never came home. They gave their all, their last full measure of devotion, in Kandahar, in the Korengal, in Helmand, in the battles for Baghdad and Fallujah and Ramadi. Now they lay at rest in quiet corners of America, but they live on in the families who loved them and in a nation that is safer because of their service. And today we pay humble tribute to the more than 6,200 Americans in uniform who have given their lives in this hard decade of war. We honor them all. We are grateful for them.

Through their service, through their sacrifice, through their astonishing record of achievement, our forces have earned their place among the greatest of generations. Toppling the Taliban in just weeks. Driving al Qaeda from the training camps where they plotted 9/11. Giving the Afghan people the opportunity to live free from terror. When the decision was made to go into Iraq, our troops raced across deserts and removed a dictator in less than a month. When insurgents, militias and terrorists plunged Iraq into chaos, our troops adapted, they endured ferocious urban combat, they reduced the violence and gave Iraqis a chance to forge their own future.

When a resurgent Taliban threatened to give al Qaeda more space to plot against us, the additional forces I ordered to Afghanistan went on the offensive -— taking the fight to the Taliban and pushing them out of their safe havens, allowing Afghans to reclaim their communities and training Afghan forces. And a few months ago, our troops achieved our greatest victory yet in the fight against those who attacked us on 9/11 -- delivering justice to Osama bin Laden in one of the greatest intelligence and military operations in American history. (Applause.)

Credit for these successes, credit for this progress, belongs to all who have worn the uniform in these wars. (Applause.) Today we're honored to be joined by some of them. And I would ask all those who served this past decade -— the members of the 9/11 Generation -— to stand and accept the thanks of a grateful nation. (Applause.)

Thanks to these Americans, we’re moving forward from a position of strength. Having ended our combat mission in Iraq and removed more than 100,000 troops so far, we’ll remove the rest of our troops by the end of this year and we will end that war. (Applause.)

Having put al Qaeda on the path to defeat, we won’t relent until the job is done. Having started to draw down our forces in Afghanistan, we’ll bring home 33,000 troops by next summer and bring home more troops in the coming years. (Applause.) As our mission transitions from combat to support, Afghans will take responsibility for their own security, and the longest war in American history will come to a responsible end.

For our troops and military families who've sacrificed so much, this means relief from an unrelenting decade of operations. Today, fewer of our sons and daughters are serving in harm’s way. For so many troops who’ve already done their duty, we’ve put an end to the stop loss. And our soldiers can now look forward to shorter deployments. That means more time at home between deployments, and more time training for the full range of missions that they will face.

Indeed, despite 10 years of continuous war, it must be said -— America’s military is the best that it’s ever been. (Applause.) We saw that most recently in the skill and precision of our brave forces who helped the Libyan people finally break free from the grip of Moammar Qaddafi. (Applause.) And as we meet the test that the future will surely bring, including hard fiscal choices here at home, there should be no doubt: The United States of America will keep our military the best-trained, the best-led, the best-equipped fighting force in history. It will continue to be the best. (Applause.)

Now, as today’s wars end, as our troops come home, we’re reminded once more of our responsibilities to all who have served. The bond between our forces and our citizens must be a sacred trust. And for me and my administration, upholding that trust is not just a matter of policy, it is not about politics; it is a moral obligation. That’s why my very first budget included the largest percentage increase to the VA budget in the past 30 years. (Applause.) So far, we’re on track to have increased funding for Veterans Affairs by 30 percent. And because we passed advanced appropriations, when Washington politics threatens to shut down the government, as it did last spring, the veterans' medical care that you count on was safe.

And let me say something else about VA funding that you depend on. As a nation, we’re facing some tough choices as we put our fiscal house in order. But I want to be absolutely clear: We cannot, we must not, we will not, balance the budget on the backs of our veterans. (Applause.) As Commander-in-Chief, I won’t allow it. (Applause.)

With these historic investments, we’re making dramatic improvements to veterans' health care. We’re improving VA facilities to better serve our women veterans. We’re expanding outreach and care for our rural veterans, like those that I met during my recent visit to Cannon Falls, including two proud Legionnaires -— Tom Newman of Legion Post 620 in Hugo, and Joseph Kidd, Post 164 in Stewartville. Are they here right now? They're out there somewhere. (Applause.) That was a good lunch, by the way. (Laughter.)

For our Vietnam veterans, because we declared that three diseases are now presumed to be related to your exposure to Agent Orange, we’ve begun paying the disability benefits that you need. (Applause.) For our veterans of the Gulf War, we’re moving forward to address the nine infectious diseases that we declared are now presumed to be related to your service in Desert Storm. (Applause.)

At the same time, our outstanding VA Secretary, Ric Shinseki, is working every day to build a 21st century VA. Many of our Vietnam vets are already submitting their Agent Orange claims electronically. Hundreds of you, from all wars, are requesting your benefits online. Thanks to the new “blue button” on the VA website, you can now share your personal health information with your doctors outside of the VA. And we’re making progress in sharing medical records between DOD and VA. We’re not there yet. I've been pounding on this thing since I came into office. We are going to stay on it, we're going to keep at it until our troops and our veterans have a lifetime electronic medical record that you can keep for your life. (Applause.)

Of course, we’ve still got some work to do. We got to break the backlog of disability claims. I know that over the past year, the backlog has actually grown due to new claims from Agent Orange. But let me say this -- and I know Secretary Shinseki agrees -- when our veterans who fought for our country have to fight just to get the benefits that you’ve already earned, that’s unacceptable. So this is going to remain a key priority for us. (Applause.)

We’re going to keep hiring new claims processors, and we’re going to keep investing in new paperless systems and keep moving ahead with our innovation competition in which our dedicated VA employees are developing new ways to process your claims faster. We want your claims to be processed not in months, but in days. So the bottom line is this -— your claims need to be processed quickly and accurately, the first time. We’re not going to rest until we get that done. We will not rest. (Applause.)

The same is true for our mission to end homelessness among our veterans. Already, we’ve helped to bring tens of thousands of veterans off the streets. For the first time ever, we’ve made veterans and military families a priority -— not just at the VA, not just at DOD, but across the federal government. And that includes making sure that federal agencies are working together so that every veteran who fought for America has a home in America. (Applause.)

We’re working to fulfill our obligations to our 9/11 Generation veterans, especially our wounded warriors. The constant threat of IEDs has meant a new generation of service members with multiple traumatic injuries, including Traumatic Brain Injury. And thanks to advanced armor and medical technologies, our troops are surviving injuries that would have been fatal in previous wars. So we’re saving more lives, but more American veterans live with severe wounds for a lifetime. That's why we need to be for them for their lifetime.

We’re giving unprecedented support to our wounded warriors -— especially those with Traumatic Brain Injury. And thanks to the veterans and caregivers legislation I signed into law, we’ve started training caregivers so that they can receive the skills and the stipends that they need to care for their loved ones. (Applause.)

We’re working aggressively to address another signature wound of this war, which has led to too many fine troops and veterans to take their own lives, and that’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We’re continuing to make major investments -- improving outreach and suicide prevention, hiring and training more mental health counselors, and treating more veterans than ever before.

The days when depression and PTSD were stigmatized -- those days must end. That’s why I made the decision to start sending condolence letters to the families of service members who take their lives while deployed in a combat zone. These Americans did not die because they were weak. They were warriors. They deserve our respect. Every man and woman in uniform, every veteran, needs to know that your nation will be there to help you stay strong. (Applause.) It’s the right thing to do.

In recent months, we’ve heard new reports of some of our veterans not getting the prompt mental health care that they desperately need. And that, too, is unacceptable. If a veteran has the courage to seek help, then we need to be doing everything in our power to deliver the lifesaving mental care that they need. So Secretary Shinseki and the VA are going to stay on this. And we'll continue to make it easier for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress to qualify for VA benefits, regardless of the war that you served in. If you served in a combat theater and a VA doctor confirms a diagnosis of PTSD, that's enough.

Which brings me to the final area where America must meet its obligations to our veterans, and this is a place where we need each other -- and that’s the task of renewing our nation’s economic strength. After a decade of war, it’s time to focus on nation building here at home. And our veterans, especially our 9/11 veterans, have the skills and the dedication to help lead the way.

That’s why we’re funding the post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which is now helping more than 500,000 veterans and family members go to college, get their degrees, and play their part in moving America forward. (Applause.) It’s why, this fall, we’ll start including vocational training and apprenticeships as well, so veterans can develop the skills to succeed in today’s economy. And that’s why I’ve directed the federal government to hire more veterans, including more than 100,000 veterans in the past year and a half alone.

But in this tough economy, far too many of our veterans are still unemployed. That’s why I’ve proposed a comprehensive initiative to make sure we’re tapping the incredible talents of our veterans. And it’s got two main parts.

First, we’re going to do more to help our newest veterans find and get that private sector job. We’re going to offer -- (applause) -- we’re going to offer more help with career development and job searches. I’ve directed DOD and the VA to create what we’re calling a “reverse boot camp” to help our newest veterans prepare for civilian jobs and translate their exceptional military skills into industry -- into industry-accepted licenses and credentials. And today I’m calling on every state to pass legislation that makes it easier for our veterans to get the credentials and the jobs for which they are so clearly qualified. This needs to happen, and it needs to happen now. (Applause.)

Second, we’re encouraging the private sector to do its part. So I’ve challenged companies across America to hire or train 100,000 unemployed veterans or their spouses. And this builds on the commitments that many companies have already made as part of the Joining Forces Campaign, championed by the First Lady and the Vice President’s spouse, Dr. Jill Biden: 100,000 jobs for veterans and spouses. And to get this done, I’ve proposed a Returning Heroes Tax Credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans and a Wounded Warrior Tax Credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans with a disability. (Applause.)

When Congress returns from recess, this needs to be at the top of their agenda. For the sake of our veterans, for the sake of our economy, we need these veterans working and contributing and creating the new jobs and industries that will keep America competitive in the 21st century.

These are the obligations we have to each other -— our forces, our veterans, our citizens. These are the responsibilities we must fulfill. Not just when it’s easy, not just when we’re flush with cash, not just when it’s convenient, but always.

That’s a lesson we learned again this year in the life and in the passing of Frank Buckles, our last veteran from the First World War. He passed away at the age of 110. Think about it. Frank lived the American Century. An ambulance driver on the Western Front, he bore witness to the carnage of the trenches in Europe. Then during the Second World War, he survived more than three years in Japanese prisoner of war camps. Then, like so many veterans, he came home, went to school, pursued a career, started a family, lived a good life on his farm in West Virginia.

Even in his later years, after turning 100, Frank Buckles still gave back to his country. He’d go speak to schoolchildren about his extraordinary life. He’d meet and inspire other veterans. And for 80 years, he served as a proud member of the American Legion. (Applause.)

The day he was laid to rest, I ordered the flags be flown at half-staff at the White House, at the government buildings across the nation, at our embassies around the world. As Frank Buckles lay in honor at Arlington’s memorial chapel, hundreds passed by his flag-draped casket in quiet procession. Most were strangers who never knew him, but they knew the story of his service, and they felt compelled to offer their thanks to this American soldier.

And that afternoon, I had the privilege of going over to Arlington and spending a few moments with Frank’s daughter, Susannah, who cared for her father to the very end. And it was a chance for me to convey the gratitude of an entire nation and to pay my respects to an American who reflected the best of who we are as a people.

And, Legionnaires, it was a reminder -— not just to the family and friends of Corporal Frank Buckles, but to the veterans and families of every generation -- no matter when you serve, no matter how many years ago that you took off the uniform, no matter how long you live as a proud veteran of this country we love, America will never leave your side. America will never forget. We will always be grateful to you.

God bless you. God bless all our veterans. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END
11:26 A.M. CDT

Statement by the President, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Hurricane Irene

Rose Garden

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  I’m joined today by my Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, and Administrator of FEMA, Craig Fugate, to provide a brief update on our ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Irene.

First, let me say that this is a storm that has claimed lives.  Our thoughts and prayers are with those who’ve lost loved ones and those whose lives have been affected by the storm.  You need to know that America will be with you in your hour of need.

While the storm has weakened as it moves north, it remains a dangerous storm that continues to produce heavy rains.  One of our chief concerns before Irene made landfall was the possibility of significant flooding and widespread power outages.  And we’ve been getting reports of just that from our state and local partners.  Many Americans are still at serious risk of power outages and flooding, which could get worse in the coming days as rivers swell past their banks.

So I want people to understand that this is not over.  Response and recovery efforts will be an ongoing operation, and I urge Americans in affected areas to continue to listen for the guidance and direction of their state and local officials.

Before the storm made landfall, the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA worked very closely with our state and local partners, as well as volunteer organizations, to pre-position supplies and teams of first responders along the hurricane’s projected track.  And the American Red Cross opened shelters in communities across the region.  I want to thank those Americans for their work over the past several days, which has saved lives and property up and down the East Coast.

We continue to have search and rescue personnel on alert, as well as water, food and other needed resources.  And moving forward, FEMA is working with state and local responders to assess damage and assist in the recovery.

I do want to underscore that the impacts of this storm will be felt for some time, and the recovery effort will last for weeks or longer.  Power may be out for days in some areas, and we will support our state and local partners in every way that we can as they work to restore power in those areas.

So I’m going to make sure that DHS and FEMA and other federal agencies are doing everything in their power to help folks on the ground.  I continue to meet regularly with Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Fugate and the other members of my team to assess our response and ensure that we have what we need in place.

As I’ve told governors and mayors from across the affected area, if they need something, I want to know about it.  We’re going to make sure that we respond as quickly and effectively as possible.  And we’re going to keep it up as long as hurricane season continues.

Finally, while we’re not out of the woods yet, I want to thank everybody at the federal, state and local levels who have worked so hard to respond to this storm.  This has been an exemplary effort of how good government at every level should be responsive to people’s needs, work to keep them safe, and protect and promote the nation’s prosperity.

I want to thank scientists who provide the information necessary for governors and mayors to make sound decisions, disaster response experts who made sure we were as prepared as possible, to National Guard members and first responders who risked their lives to ensure their fellow citizens’ safety -- all ordinary Americans who love their country and volunteered to do their part.

Above all, the past few days have been a shining example of how Americans open our homes and our hearts to those in need and pull together in tough times to help our fellow citizens prepare for and respond to, as well as recover from, extraordinary challenges, whether natural disasters or economic difficulties.  That’s what makes the United States of America a strong and resilient nation, a strong and resilient people.  And I want to thank all who have been involved very much.

Now I’d like to ask Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Fugate to say a few words. 

Janet.

SECRETARY NAPOLITANO:  Thank you.  Thank you, Mr. President.  And I’d like to echo the President’s comments about the ongoing threat from Hurricane Irene.  We will be dealing with the impacts of this storm over the coming days, and I urge all Americans to take prudent steps to stay safe. 

Now, dealing with a storm like this requires a three-phase approach:  preparation, response and recovery.  Some states and communities are still currently responding, while others are beginning to assess their damages and plan for recovery. 

As response assets are freed up in states already impacted by the storm, we will begin moving them to help with ongoing response, and we will be working with all other states throughout the recovery period.

I’d also like to thank the entire team that is working so hard to respond to Irene.  And that team includes the American people.  Thanks to all of you who prepared, especially those who followed local evacuation orders.  Your actions helped protect not only your families and minimize loss of life, but also freed up local first responders to help those who needed help the most.

Now, the Department of Homeland Security will continue working to coordinate the federal response through FEMA, making sure that the entire federal family is working as one to support the affected states.  So, with that, I’d like to personally thank Craig Fugate, who is my director of FEMA, and the entire FEMA team, who have been leading this effort. 

So, Craig.   

ADMINISTRATOR FUGATE:  Well, thank you, Mr. President and Secretary.  When you look at these disasters, a lot of times you try to find a place of damage that tells everybody the story about what’s happened.  But in this hurricane that’s hard to do because I’m pretty sure most of you forgot Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were first impacted, and we had people who lost their homes and are currently dealing with recovery in Puerto Rico.  And now we repeat that process in North Carolina, Virginia and up the coast as flooding is still ongoing.

When a disaster comes off the news and nobody is paying attention, we still don’t go home.  We’re still working hard across this country, from tornadoes and floods that have already struck this country as well as to new damages.  And that’s part of the mission we have at FEMA, to work with our state and local partners, to work with the private sector, volunteer and faith-based community, but most of all, as the Secretary and President said, the American people who we work for.  We’re there for the survivors.  We’ll be there through the length of these disasters.  And, again, we’re not going home just because it won’t be on the news.  We now we got a lot of work ahead of us and we’re going to be there to support local communities and states as they begin the recovery.

Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  Thank you very much, everybody.  Craig and Janet will continue to keep everybody posted throughout the week.  As we have already said, there are a lot of communities that are still being affected.  We are particularly concerned about flooding because the continuing rains can end up having an impact well beyond the immediate center of the storm.

And so we’re going to continue to monitor that carefully.  Assessments are already being done in North Carolina and Virginia.  There are still search and rescue teams that are operating throughout the region.  And we will continue to keep the American people posted throughout our efforts not only with respect to response but also with respect to recovery.

So thanks very much, everybody.

END                5:10 P.M. EDT

Remarks by Vice President Biden at Sendai Airport

Sendai Airport
Sendai, Japan

3:22 P.M. (Local) 
 
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Governor, thank you very much.  Come to Delaware.  It’s a lovely place.  How many students were scheduled to go to visit my home state of Delaware?  Raise your hand.  You’ve still got to come.  My granddaughters are anxious to see you.
 
Governor, thank you for that kind introduction.  And I am honored and truly humbled to have an opportunity to visit this place that has seen so much devastation and tragedy but also demonstrated for the world to see so much heroism and courage, resolve and selflessness.
 
If there was ever a single set of circumstances for the world to understand what the Japanese people are made of -- their resolve, their determination, their brotherhood, it was this God awful tragedy that you have had to go through.  I came to express not only my commitment to say we will do whatever we can to help, but to tell you how much the President, how much I, how much the American people admire your character.
 
I see this is simultaneous translation.  (Laughter.) 
 
On March 11th, when the earth shook and the ocean surged, the thoughts and prayers of the entire world turned toward Japan, a great and peaceful nation that has always been there when others have needed you.  It’s something I think sometimes the Japanese people forget as they express their gratitude to us and others, you have always been there.  You have been there when others have been the victims of the forces of nature.
 
So I wanted to extend my deepest condolences, and those of President Obama and all the American people, for what you have endured, and particularly for the family, friends and loved ones of those of who have been lost.
 
But I am also here to honor the incredible spirit of the Japanese people, who remind the world of something equally as forceful as the force of nature, that is the force of the nature of the human spirit, which is equally as formidable, particularly when we join together in the most trying of times.
 
I’ll have a chance later this afternoon to visit the community center that is now the home for hundreds of families left homeless by the devastation; I’m anxious to meet them.  I’m anxious to hear their stories.  And I’m anxious to let them know America is going nowhere.  We are here as long as you want us to help.
 
But I already know that the disaster met its match in the legendary industriousness and relentless perseverance of the Japanese people.
 
Neighbors and total strangers in this region divided up the tasks essential to survival: scavenging for food wherever they could find it; overcoming downed cellular networks by communicating through message boards, radio and human messengers; gathering fuel from the tanks of the wrecked motor boats and automobiles.
 
We see that same spirit throughout Japan, including the brilliant young Japanese golfer who recently captured the imagination of Americans.  Ryo stood there as that magnificent swing of his and as the announcers pointed out, that he had committed all his earnings to deal with the devastation back home.
 
One eighth grade English teacher I’m told, as school resumed, told her students, and I quote:  “Many of us lost our homes and possessions in an instant.  The important thing is now making a first step toward something brighter.”
 
My dear mother, an old Irish lady used to say, in the most difficult moments, including when I lost my wife and daughter, she said, Joey, out of everything terrible, something good will come if you look hard enough for it.  It’s hard to look for it.  It’s hard to accept that.  But it’s true.  And the DNA of the Japanese people is riddled with the notion that it’s true.
 
Five months after the disaster, while there is still clearly a long way to go, you have made remarkable progress, schools are beginning to re-open, businesses are coming back, homes are being rebuilt.
 
One of the first major steps toward moving forward here in Sendai is specifically here at this airport.  On March 11th, flood waters reached I’m told the second level, almost all the way to this floor.  And when the water receded, it became the home of more than 1,000 weary survivors with nowhere to go.
 
As I stand here at this airport, I am proud -- as I said to your generals -- I’m proud that our military was given the privilege of being able to join your forces.  And within a week of the earthquake, able to re-open the runway that enabled the arrival of hundreds of relief workers and more than 2 million tons of humanitarian supplies.
 
And just a month after the earthquake, on April 13th, the airport reopened to commercial flights.  Indeed, one of the underpublicized but remarkable aspects of the response to this disaster is that the Japan has remained open for business.  It is still open for business.
 
The American people are also proud and honored by the way  they have been able to assist.  They're proud to continue doing whatever you would like us to as you rebuild.  And that’s because of a simple proposition.  It’s not because of government-to-government or military-to-military relations.  It’s because of a genuine affection the American people for the Japanese people.  You students, when you come to my home state, you will see that.  You will feel it.  You will understand it.  But it’s also because we know -- we know if the reverse situation occurred, you’d be there -- you’d be there to help us.  You’d be there to do everything you could.  As you were at Katrina, as you were in Pakistan, as you were around the world, wherever disaster has struck.
 
That’s why within hours, our military launched what we refer to in English as “Operation Friend” -— the single largest humanitarian relief effort in American history.  And it was done without having to convince the American people of anything.  It was spontaneous.  It’s because of the affection for the people -- the people of Japan.  That's the building block upon which this partnership and alliance of ours is built.
 
But this is not just a one-time effort in response to a crisis.  America’s ongoing assistance to Japan’s economic recovery is just as important.  It’s not only important for Japan, it’s important for the United States.  It’s important for the United States that Japan remain open for business and continue to grow, to prosper.  And there is no limit in our view what two of the world’s largest economies, and strongest and most dynamic economies in the history of the world can accomplish together.  I emphasize together.
 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited in April to help launch the broad public-private partnership aimed at revitalizing the economy by helping build better links between this region and the global economy.
 
This is taking shape as a public-private friendship initiative, in essence the sequel to Operation Friendship, to support Japan’s recovery, in part through fellowship and grant programs that support education and innovative business projects, and in many other ways.  But it’s an investment -- it’s an investment, as we see it, in tomorrow’s leaders. 
 
We’re working to enhance the cooperation between Japan and America, between Japanese and American businesses, between our nations’ civil society groups, and among public officials -—including more than 180 American municipalities with Japanese “sister cities.”
 
Look at the 16 young baseball players from right here in Sendai, who have spent the past two weeks in the United States, hosted by Hall of Fame friend of mine named Cal Ripken, as part of a State Department sports exchange program with Japan.
 
America’s commitment to our friend and ally Japan extends well beyond support in times of need and reflects the profound importance America places on our relationship with Japan and our deep ties to this region.
 
The United States is and will remain a Pacific power.  America’s focus on this critical region will only grow in the years to come -— as Asia plays an ever increasing role in the global economy and international affairs.  But the anchor for that relationship will be Japan.
 
As President Obama said in Tokyo, during his first visit to Asia as President, and I quote:  The United States of America may have started as a series of port cities along the Atlantic Ocean, but for generations we have also been a nation of the Pacific.  Asia and the United States are not separated by this great ocean; they are bound by this great ocean.
 
That’s why when President Obama and I came to office two and a half years ago, we were determined to strengthen our partnership and alliance with Japan, which has served as a foundation of this region’s security and prosperity for over half a century.
 
Those nations in the region that are prospering and growing, and we want to see them grow, that has been made possible by the stability and certitude that Japan and the United States have been able to provide over the last 50 years.
 
Rooted in common interests and shared values -— including democratic ideals, respect for human rights, the rule of law -- this alliance always plays an indispensable role in ensuring the security and prosperity of not only Japan and the United States, but, quite frankly, the entire Asia-Pacific region.
 
We are committed to ensuring that it continues to be effective in meeting the challenges of the 21st century.  Toward that end, I was pleased that in June our Secretaries of Defense and State met for the first what we call “2 +2” talks in more than four years, part of our effort to increase security cooperation with Japan in the coming years.
 
Our partnership continues to thrive.  Even as you recover from the earthquake and the tsunami, Japan continues to play a prominent and positive role in world affairs.
 
I just want you to know that we remember and we are aware that whatever and wherever on the planet disaster strikes, Japan has always been among the first to lend a hand and deploy aid workers, generous contributions, essential donations to the recovery of that country or region.
 
When the Indian Ocean tsunami left hundreds of thousands dead or homeless throughout the region, when the earthquake leveled Port-au-Prince, in Haiti, when flood waters ravaged Pakistan, when Hurricane Katrina cut a devastating swath through America’s Gulf Coast, in every one of those instances -- without being asked, and countless others that I have not mentioned, the people of Japan have lent a hand.
 
But as Japan faces its own difficult time, Americans will stand by Japan for as long as it takes.  My visit today is to reinforce and reassert that commitment of an ally to an ally, a friend to a friend.
 
And let me say one last thing.  There are some around the world who are betting on the decline of America and the inability of Japan to rise again.  They are making a very bad bet.  Both of us -- both of us will continue to grow and prosper.  And together -- together we are a significant part of the engine that will allow the world to recover.
 
I thank you for your friendship.  I thank you for giving us the honor of being able to be of whatever assistance we have been so far.  And may God bless the people of Japan and the people of the United States upon whom this relationship is really built.
 
Thank you very, very much.
 
END
3:38 P.M. (Local)