29 April 2002
Director Ridge Outlines U.S. Homeland Security Plans
(April 29 speech to AP annual luncheon in New Orleans) (2010)
President Bush's Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge says his office
has undertaken a large-scale review of the nation's critical
infrastructure, working with the states and the private sector, in
order to set priorities in protecting the nation from terrorist
threats.
The world "is just as dangerous today, if not more so," than it was
when terrorists struck the United States on September 11, he said in
remarks prepared for delivery April 29 to the Associated Press annual
luncheon in New Orleans.
"The threat is real -- as real as it was seven months ago. In fact, it
is a permanent condition to which we all must permanently adapt. But
it's important to remember that we can adapt -- we can do something
about it."
Ridge listed as susceptible to terrorist attacks oil and gas
refineries, power plants and electrical substations, water treatment
plants and reservoirs, dams and pipelines, schools and hospitals,
banks and financial institutions, airports and seaports, bridges and
highways.
"The challenge is vast, it encompasses so much," he said.
"To respond to terrorists, we have to anticipate their moves," Ridge
said. "Our National Strategy will be guided by an overarching
philosophy: risk management -- focusing our resources where they will
do the most good and achieve the maximum protection of lives and
property. We will play both offense -- massing our resources to meet
the most immediate threats -- and defense -- working to fill our most
glaring gaps."
The National Strategy is just the start, Ridge said. "The American
people must become active partners in their own protection. More than
30,000 have already signed up for the President's new Citizen Corps
program. They'll contribute to homeland security at the grassroots,
neighborhood level. I urge all Americans to serve."
Following are his remarks as prepared for delivery:
(begin text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
April 29, 2002
REMARKS AS PREPARED -- GOVERNOR TOM RIDGE
The Associated Press Annual Luncheon
The Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel
New Orleans, LA
I've spoken a great deal recently about what the federal government
has done since 9/11, what states have done. Today, I'd like to focus
on the future. You are more than journalists and publishers -- you are
community leaders. It's in that light that I'd like to discuss our
emerging National Strategy, and what it will mean for the communities
of this nation. As we become further removed from the horrific events
of 9/11, and people move on with their everyday lives, the terrorist
threat may grow dimmer in the eyes of many Americans.
But the world is just as dangerous today, if not more so. The threat
is real -- as real as it was seven months ago. In fact, it is a
permanent condition to which we all must permanently adapt. But it's
important to remember that we can adapt -- we can do something about
it.
We already know what the terrorists want to do to us. We have it in
their own words.
Osama bin Laden, from December videotape:
"Our terrorism is against America. Our terrorism is a blessed
terrorism?"
"It is very important to hit the U.S. economy with every available
means?.
[It] is the base of its military power."
"If their economy ends, they will busy themselves away from the
enslavement of oppressed people? It is important to concentrate on the
destruction of the American economy."
They want to kill innocent lives -- and destroy our way of life.
This is a war on two fronts -- overseas and here at home. And our goal
today remains the same: to track down and disrupt the terrorist
networks wherever we find them -- and to build up our defenses at
home. The very first "mission" in the President's Executive Order
creating the Office of Homeland Security reads: "to develop and
coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to
secure the United States from terrorist threats or attacks."
Now, I take every word of that Executive Order seriously:
"Develop and coordinate." We will help build the consensus -- but the
action will happen on the front lines, carried out by the people who
have the experience and expertise to get the job done -- and who prove
it every single day.
"Comprehensive." We must wrap our arms around every aspect of homeland
security. Our strategy must not just raise questions, but provide
solutions.
"National strategy." That's national, not federal. That means the
states and localities, the private sector and academia, and the
American people will [help] make it happen.
"Secure the United States." Our physical, financial and electronic
infrastructure; our people; our freedoms and our way of life. Securing
them is the core responsibility of government.
"Threats or attacks." We must not only improve our preparedness. We
must preempt and deter attacks at their source, whether in Afghanistan
or our own backyard.
The National Strategy will prioritize our long-term needs. It will
reveal what we need to protect. It will outline the resources
available to us, and point the way for their best use. And it will
institutionalize our response over the course of several years.
Put another way, it will answer two questions often asked by your
reporters, and rightly so: "Whose job is it -- and who pays for it?"
Homeland security requires a new way of governing, a new way of
looking at things. We have to think anew.
To respond to terrorists, we have to anticipate their moves. We cannot
be everywhere at once. Our resources won't allow it. More importantly,
our freedoms won't allow it. Our National Strategy will be guided by
an overarching philosophy: risk management -- focusing our resources
where they will do the most good, and achieve the maximum protection
of lives and property. We will play both offense -- massing our
resources to meet the most immediate threats -- and defense -- working
to fill our most glaring gaps.
To that end, we have undertaken a large-scale review of our nation's
critical infrastructure. We're working with the states and the private
sector -- which owns more than 80 percent of it -- to map this
infrastructure, examining risks, probabilities and consequences, so we
can set priorities in protection.
The challenge is vast. It encompasses so much -- oil and gas
refineries, power plants and electrical substations, water treatment
plants and reservoirs, dams and pipelines, to name just a fraction.
Add to that our schools and hospitals, our banks and financial
institutions, our airports and seaports, our bridges and highways.
But take a second look. We can turn these vulnerabilities into
strengths.
Our public health system can save lives in a bioterror attack, and
issue early warnings to prevent an outbreak from spreading.
Our banks and financial institutions can be used to help investigators
stop money-laundering and take terrorists' dollars out of their
pockets.
Our roads and rail systems can be used to make potential targets more
mobile and less visible.
Our ports and harbors, airports and border entry points can be
transformed from vulnerabilities into barriers against terrorism.
We've begun by refocusing the mission of the Coast Guard to homeland
security. It's working to deter more than terrorism. One state
official reports that some indicators show a significant reduction in
crime as a result of the homeland security measures taken at his
ports.
If we secure the hometowns, we will secure the homeland. And, ladies
and gentlemen, it is happening.
I've been to well over a dozen cities in the last six months --
Cincinnati, El Paso, Detroit, Winston-Salem, Los Alamos, Pittsburgh,
Boston, the list goes on. I wish all Americans could see what I get to
see: the great work being done, much of it, by their neighbors, the
firefighters and police officers, the doctors and EMTs, the border
guards and businessmen. Work that began well before 9/11. These are
the folks on the front lines. They're the ones who will respond to and
recover from a crisis -- and who will influence key budget decisions
in the city halls, county commissions and state legislatures.
We have created a two-way flow of ideas and information with them. I
personally met with many key state and local officials last week. I
can report strong support for the President's four budget initiatives
-- first responders, biodefense, border security and
information-sharing.
The four were chosen because of risk management.
Our first responders initiative will help reduce the risk of injury
and death in an attack.
Bioterror has one of the highest rates of consequence, and our
preparedness has historically lagged behind the threat.
We're building "smart borders" of the future -- focusing our
technological and human resources on separating high-risk traffic from
low-risk and no-risk traffic. I've seen the beginnings of this amazing
effort in El Paso and Detroit. I believe it will lead to increased
trade and decreased terrorism and drug smuggling.
We're developing an entry-exit visa database to monitor short-term
visitors to this country, especially those who overstay their welcome
-- reducing the risk that we'll lose track of the few who seek us
harm.
And the President's Budget increases cybersecurity funding by 64
percent. This will include a Cyberspace Warning Intelligence Network
to link government and the private sector so we can reduce the risk of
damage caused by cyber-terrorists or hackers. Technology can help make
us more secure -- but security must extend to technology.
States and localities are eager to work with us on these issues. They
want direction from us, not micromanagement. So we have encouraged
them to join regional mutual aid compacts and develop interoperable
communications systems. We're asking them to hold regular drills and
simulations; the more we practice, the more we reduce the risk. And,
above all, we've asked state and local officials to work together on a
single, integrated, statewide anti-terrorism plan. I am encouraged by
their response.
Some of you may have caught the phrase "our freedoms and our way of
life" in the list of things we must protect. It's the truth -- and a
responsibility this Administration takes very seriously.
The answer to an attack on our freedom is more freedom, not less.
Freedom's not a vulnerability, but a strength. In the 1940s, American
businesses built an "arsenal of democracy" to win the war. Today
they're building an "arsenal of security" -- exciting, nimble,
cutting-edge products that can cut our response time and save lives.
Homeland security needs this innovation and imagination. And
businesses need the opportunity -- the opportunity to do well by doing
good. It can give us not just a safer, more secure America, but a more
competitive and prosperous America. Many of these products are
designed to improve communication and speed the flow of information.
Attorney General Ashcroft has said that, "Information is the best
friend of prevention."
We're going to knock down the information "stovepipes" throughout
government and turn them into pipelines. That's one reason why we
created the Homeland Security Advisory System. One lesson of 9/11 is
that when information doesn't get to the right people in time, it can
be just as dangerous as when it falls into the wrong hands.
In the end, I believe our best weapon against terrorism is an engaged
citizenry. An unaware person is a vulnerability. An informed, aware,
engaged person is a strength. The National Strategy is just the start.
The American people must become active partners in their own
protection. More than 30,000 have already signed up for the
President's new Citizen Corps program. They'll contribute to homeland
security at the grassroots, neighborhood level. I urge all Americans
to serve. Perhaps some of them will also be inspired to attend a PTA
meeting or mentor a young student or simply to go to the polls this
November.
Ladies and gentlemen, America is doing something about homeland
security. And evil will not triumph.
Thank you.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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