d***@best.com
2005-09-05 21:32:22 UTC
-------------------
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050901-2.html
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 1, 2005
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
James S. Brady Briefing Room
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. Tomorrow morning the President will visit
and tour the Gulf Coast region and get a closer look at the enormous
devastation from Hurricane Katrina. The hearts and prayers of the American
people continue to go out to all the citizens in the affected areas of the
Gulf Coast. The nation stands with all those in the region who have been
affected by one of the most devastating natural disasters in our nation's
history.
It was very sobering as we were traveling over the region yesterday,
returning to Washington, to see the devastation and damage from Katrina,
and to see the flooding and to see the homes that had been destroyed.
Tomorrow's visit is another way for the President to show the nation's
support and compassion for the victims and our appreciation for those who
are helping with the ongoing response and recovery efforts. It is an
opportunity for the President to get a first-hand, up-close look at the
response and recovery efforts, and to hear from those on the ground. It is
also a time, simply, to offer some encouragement and comfort to boost the
spirits of the people, those who are helping in the response, and those
who have been displaced by the hurricane.
The schedule is very fluid at this point, and it is certainly subject to
change. The general plan for tomorrow is as follows. The President will
first stop in Mobile, Alabama. I expect he will meet with Governors Riley
and Barbour. Then he will, along with the governors, do a helicopter tour
of the Alabama-Mississippi coast, along the Mobile, Biloxi, Gulfport area.
Following the aerial tour, I expect he will visit a location or two on the
ground in Mississippi. Then he will depart for New Orleans, where he will
be joined by Governor Blanco. He will then do an aerial tour of New
Orleans, and we're still working on the rest of the schedule for New
Orleans at this point. We will keep you updated on any changes or
additions to the schedule as we get them.
This is a massive federal response effort that is underway. We are
continuing to coordinate closely with state and local authorities. Just to
put it in perspective, the total amount of lands that is under federal
disaster area declaration is approximately 90,000 square miles.
The President continues to spend much of the day focused on the federal
government's response efforts. This morning the President called Petty
Officer Josh Mitcheltree of the United States Coast Guard. He is a swimmer
who has been involved in the search and rescue efforts. The President
expressed his appreciation for his efforts and the round-the-clock efforts
of his colleagues. Hopefully it helped to boost their spirits during this
trying time. It was also an opportunity for the President to get a
first-hand account of the ongoing response efforts, and the search and
rescue efforts.
The President also spoke with Mike Brown this morning to get an
operational update from the ground. He's been in discussions with White
House staff throughout the day. He met with Secretary Rumsfeld, General
Myers and General Blum, who is head of the Army National Guard, along with
Secretary Chertoff earlier today. He received an update from Secretary
Chertoff on the operational aspects and he also had a discussion with
those individuals about the latest security situation on the ground,
particularly in the New Orleans area.
At 1:30 p.m. today, Secretary Chertoff will be joined by General Blum and
others to provide an operational update. I expect one of the issues they
will talk about is the law enforcement and security situation on the
ground, and I think they can provide you with an update of the increase in
the number of National Guard troops, over the course of today and the next
couple of days, to address some of those issues --
Q Do they have enough National Guard --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- to address some of those issues on the ground. Right
now, the President is having lunch with Chairman Greenspan. This is an
opportunity to talk about -- the purpose of the meeting really is to focus
on the economic impact. Following that lunch, the President is
participating in a briefing with his economic team to get a preliminary
assessment of Hurricane Katrina's economic impact.
And then at 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, the President will meet with former
Presidents Bush and Clinton to announce an effort that they will lead to
raise private funds for victims of Katrina. This is similar to the effort
they led with the tsunami relief, where they helped to raise more than $1
billion in an unprecedented effort to help people in that region.
This is a national tragedy and one of the best ways for the American
people to show our compassion for the people in the Gulf Coast region is
to support with the nation the efforts of the Red Cross and Salvation Army
and others who are helping people in the region. The American people are
already showing their generosity and providing significant contributions,
but this will be an ongoing effort. It will be a long and difficult road
ahead, as the President said, and it will require continued support from
all Americans. The President and Mrs. Bush, today, will be sending a
significant contribution to the Red Cross, as well.
One other announcement, and then I'll be glad to go to your questions. In
just the past two days, the President has received requests from Governor
Blanco, Governor Riley, and Governor Barbour for a waiver of state
cost-share requirements for emergency response activities, and today the
President is granting that waiver. The President's action today will
increase the federal share from the current 75-percent level to 100
percent federal funding for a period of 60 days, retroactive to the date
of the major disaster declaration. This effort -- or this action
recognizes the unprecedented scope and impact of this disaster. These
extra funds will allow the federal government, through FEMA, to pay for
100 percent of the cost of debris removal and emergency protective
measures taken by local first responders under the public assistance
program, including direct federal activities.
As I mentioned, this action comes on the heels of the emergency
declarations the President issued on August 28th and 29th for Louisiana,
Alabama and Mississippi, which allowed FEMA to identify and mobilize the
equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impact of the emergency
in those areas. And this is a rule that was established under the Stafford
Act law, and that's what the waiver relates to.
And with that, I will be glad to go to your questions.
Q Scott, what's your latest estimate of the damage caused by the
hurricane?
MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, there's going to be an operational update later
today. That might -- by Secretary Chertoff. That might be a place to
direct that question. I don't -- I think that it's still very early in the
assessment of the damage and devastation that was caused by this
hurricane, so I don't have an updated number or anything to put on it at
this point. But as I mentioned, this covers some 90,000 square miles, and
certainly yesterday, when we were traveling over the region and looked out
at the devastation, it was enormous.
Now, you've got, really, two different situations you're dealing with in
Mississippi and Louisiana. I think we could see that from the air
yesterday. In Mississippi, it's more of the wind damage; the hurricane
simply wiped out homes on the ground and wiped out structures on the
ground. You can see homes that were in pieces, or homes where just slabs
of concrete were left, because those homes had been completely wiped out.
In the New Orleans area, of course, you have the flooding. And while our
focus remains, first and foremost, on saving lives, we are also working to
stop the flooding and fix the breaks in the levees to address those
problems on the ground as we also continue evacuating people in New
Orleans.
Q People on the ground, though, Scott, are questioning why it's taken
three days or more for federal help to arrive, notwithstanding all of the
preparations. There's considerable bitterness in some places. We had one
woman ask on camera last night, where's the cavalry? And then there's been
editorial criticism across the country of the President for not acting
sooner, or not coming back sooner. What do you say to all that?
MR. McCLELLAN: I can understand how frustrated people are in the region
who have been affected by this. There are some immediate priorities that
we must remain focused on. First and foremost, that is saving lives. And
second, right along with that, is sustaining lives. That's why the federal
government is working in close partnership with state and local
authorities. This is a massive undertaking by the federal government. It
is unprecedented. We continue -- remember, we pre-positioned assets in the
region prior to the storm hitting. You have more than 50 disaster medical
assistance teams in the region. You have some 28-plus search and rescue
teams deployed in the region. Those efforts are ongoing.
I can understand people who have not received the help they need being
frustrated at this point. It's going to take time to get help to some
people. We've got to prioritize what the needs are, and that's exactly
what the federal government is doing. And we are going to continue moving
resources and assets into the region to help those who are in need. And we
-- if you look at what the Department of Transportation, for instance, has
done, they have moved I think approximately 1,000 truckloads containing
more than -- nearly 7 million Meals Ready To Eat to the region. They have
moved millions of gallons of water, 15,000-plus tarps, 10,000-plus rolls
of plastic sheeting, 3.4 million pounds of ice that they have helped to
transport to those who are in need of those supplies.
Q But none of that means anything to somebody who has been living on an
interstate overpass for the last three days, without food or water, or any
kind of assistance, local or federal.
MR. McCLELLAN: As we were passing over the region yesterday, Bill, we saw
people that were standing on those highways, those highways that just
disappeared into the water. We saw people that were on rooftops. We saw
helicopters in the distance engaged in search and rescue operations as we
were passing through the region.
Our concern, first and foremost, is with the people who have been
displaced or affected otherwise by this major catastrophe. It is a major
catastrophe and there is a major response to this catastrophe. And the
federal government will continue working to do everything in our power to
get help to those in need. But we certainly understand the frustration
coming from people on the ground who are in need of help and we will
continue working to get them the assistance that they need. We appreciate
the efforts of all those in the region who are working round-the-clock to
make sure that they are getting help.
Q Are you going to bring back any National Guardsmen from Iraq to help?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that the military talked about that a little bit
yesterday. I think you're talking about two separate priorities and we're
addressing both. And they'll be talking later today, I think, about some
of the ongoing increase in the number of National Guard units that are
being deployed to the New Orleans area to meet the security and law
enforcement needs that are on the ground.
Q Do you have enough troops on hand?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that they've indicated that, yes.
Q Scott, what impact is this having on the budget? Are you preparing a
budget supplemental to take care of it, or how much money are we talking
about?
MR. McCLELLAN: That is a good question. We had significant resources
available for the short-term needs. We are fully committed to making sure
that the needs on the ground are met, and doing what is within our power
to do at the federal level. That's why I mentioned the announcement today
of the waiver by the President of the United States.
Congress is in the process of returning from their August break. We
believe that we have the resources we need in the short-term to meet the
needs on the ground, but we will be discussing with Congress -- in fact,
we already are discussing with some members of Congress -- how we move
forward on additional supplemental funding to meet the needs down the
road. And you can expect that we will act with members -- with Congress to
address those needs and provide additional funding that is needed.
It's also important to continue making the assessments of what is needed,
and so that is one of the things -- Terry brought that up at the beginning
of the briefing -- that's one of the things we're doing, is making an
assessment on what additional funding may be needed, so that we can move
forward and pass that quickly once Congress is back in session.
Q You don't have a ballpark figure yet?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I don't have that today.
Q Do you know how much the former Presidents are hoping to raise, and will
they be seeking money from corporate America --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't -- I recall, in the tsunami relief, I mean --
obviously, this is something that's just been pulled together in the last
day or so. On the tsunami relief efforts, the total amount raised, as I
pointed out, was more than $1 billion. That is not all necessarily
attributable to their efforts, but certainly they provided a lot of help
in that. And I don't believe that they set necessarily a target goal; this
is just to maximize the response from the American people and maximize
those contributions.
I'd also point out that we have received numerous offers of condolence and
assistance from nations around the world, and I think you can expect that
we intend to take nations up on their offers of assistance. And the State
Department can probably talk to you more about that if there is any more
to add to it.
Jessica.
Q Scott, two questions. First, we've heard a number of reports about crime
deterring people from making rescues, that FEMA has called off some
rescues in some areas, that helicopters have been shot at, that there's
been some shooting in hospitals, and yet, some of this has proved to be
urban myth. Can you sort of set the record straight on what you're hearing
here at the White House?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that the best place to ask that question is going
to be at the briefing at 1:30 p.m. or at the briefing later today by FEMA
officials from the region. They will have the most up-to-date information
on operational matters on the ground.
Q Are you concerned that the --
MR. McCLELLAN: Now it is a -- the security situation is a concern. It is a
priority. We are working very closely with state and local authorities.
We're in close communication with Governor Blanco and other officials on
these issues. And the President, I think, made it very clear earlier today
that we will not tolerate law breakers, we will not tolerate
price-gouging, we will not tolerate insurance fraud, we won't tolerate
looting. And there is a zero tolerance approach when it comes to these
issues.
Q And the second question, the Department of Energy reports that about 35
percent of customers won't have power -- in the area, don't have power.
One of the problems is the people who would go bring them power are
sleeping in their trucks. They don't even have the food and resources to
get there and help themselves. It seems that these local communities are
having trouble even taking care of themselves. Is there any thought about
federalizing the effort to not just be a task force from the federal
government, but clearly control and oversee the rescue and recovery from
here?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, that's getting into some of the operational aspects.
Secretary Chertoff and the Department of Homeland Security are overseeing
all the operational activities. I think a question like that would be best
directed to them.
Now, in terms of the electricity issues, yes, the Department of Energy is
looking at those very closely. We -- one of our concerns when it comes to
the economy, of course, is the shortage of gas. And that's an issue we've
been working to address. That's why the EPA moved forward on a waiver
yesterday so that the regulations prohibiting some fuel from being used
can now -- that fuel can now be used. And that's why Secretary Bodman is
moving forward on approving loans from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, so
that we can address the short-term issues that have been caused by this
hurricane. And, certainly this is something that has a national impact.
Q Is it something the President is considering?
MR. McCLELLAN: Is what something the President is --
Q Federalizing this effort?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, that's a question you ought to direct to the
Department of Homeland Security.
Q Scott, do you cited the President's zero tolerance for insurance fraud,
looting, price gouging. Does he make any allowance for people who have yet
to receive aid who are taking things like water or food or shoes to walk
among the debris?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you heard from the President earlier today about
his zero tolerance. We understand the need for food and water and supplies
of that nature. That's why we have a massive effort underway to continue
getting food and water and ice to those who are in need. There are ways
for them to get that help. Looting is not the way for them to do it.
Q Scott, I read that Air Force One on the way back from Texas had dipped
down as low as 1,500 feet.
MR. McCLELLAN: Seventeen-hundred feet, for a brief period.
Q Brief. How briefly? Can you tell us -- were you looking out the window,
was the President? What did he see, what was the reaction?
MR. McCLELLAN: It was -- most of the flight over the region it was pretty
clear, and we were able to get a good look at the devastation from the
air. I think when we were coming to the Mobile area, that there were some
thunderstorms in the area, so we didn't get to see part of that -- that
part of the region as closely as maybe we'd have liked. But when we flew
over New Orleans, we were at 2,500 feet, and then for a brief period after
we left New Orleans, we went down to about 1,700 feet, and then we went
back up to 2,500 feet soon after that.
The one thing that the pilots aboard Air Force One did, at the direction
of the President and the White House, was to make sure that the flyover in
the region was in no way going to disrupt the ongoing response and
recovery efforts, the ongoing search and rescue efforts. That's why they
were in close contact with people on the ground in the region, authorities
on the ground, to make sure that the level we were at, and where we were
flying over was in no way disrupting those ongoing activities. So they
were very careful about that.
Q Scott, you talk about the difference between the short-term planning
underway now versus the long-term planning to come. Describe for us what
short-term means in the context of this catastrophe, when does the
long-term planning start, and in terms of housing the displaced residents
and the refugees, do you have any kind of an estimate as to how many
people in that 90,000 square mile area that you're talking about are still
displaced, unsheltered?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think, again, that might be one to direct to FEMA on
the ground or the Department of Homeland Security here in Washington at
one of their briefings, to see if they have any latest update on the
number of people that have been displaced. It is certainly a large number
of people that have been displaced because of this natural disaster. And
as you're aware, officials are in the process of evacuating people from
New Orleans, particularly the Superdome, people that are housed there, and
moving them to the Astrodome in Houston. That is something that is
ongoing. Busses are still en route to the Superdome to move people.
In terms of the short-term and long-term, that is what the -- where the
President's focus really is, is, one, the short-term immediate need. Are
we doing everything in our power to meet the urgent needs on the ground,
the needs of the people. First and foremost it's about saving lives. So
those search and rescue operations continue. A close second to that is
sustaining life. And that means making sure people have the food and the
water and the ice and the shelter and that they're getting their needs met
in that respect.
And in terms of the long-term strategy, that was one of the things the
President directed the task force to make sure that they were working on,
that we'll continue developing a long-term strategy to address the needs
going forward. This will be a long and difficult road as we work to
rebuild the great city of New Orleans and we work to help people rebuild
their lives and get back on their feet.
Q In the context of folks who are now looking at perhaps never seeing
their homes again or perhaps being in shelters for months at a time, can
you give us some idea -- are we talking about a short-term strategy period
of three months, six months, a year?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are many -- and I want to leave this to those
who are overseeing those operational aspects, I leave those questions to
them. But there are many federal agencies involved in this effort.
Yesterday, the President sat down with the first meeting of the task force
that we established to help with the coordination. Secretary Chertoff is
chairing that task force, and he's also overseeing the operational
aspects.
But you had Cabinet Secretaries from many agencies sitting at the table --
the Department of Transportation is an agency I just mentioned; the
Department of Defense, they're deploying -- continuing to deploy a large
amount of military assets to the region, from ships, to troops, to help
with the response and recovery efforts; you have the Department of Energy;
you have the Department of Homeland Security, obviously, and FEMA, under
the Department of Homeland Security, that is overseeing this effort; the
Department of -- the Housing -- the Department of Housing and Urban
Development to look at those issues when it comes to people being
displaced and where we can provide temporary housing for those
individuals; you have the Department of Labor and Social Security
Administration addressing the issues of Social Security checks and
unemployment insurance and things of that nature and how we're going to
get people help.
So we are acting on many fronts throughout the federal government. This is
an unprecedented effort on behalf of the federal government, and it is
being closely coordinated under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland
Security. As you will recall, we developed the national response plan for
the purpose of situations like this. The national response plan was
implemented by Secretary Chertoff just the other day. This is the first
time it's ever been implemented. And it allows us to really fully mobilize
all the resources the federal government needed to address a situation
like this and do so under one umbrella of the Department of Homeland
Security -- and the Department of Health and Human Services. There are
concerns about public health and disease and things of that nature. So
they're working very closely with the Centers for Disease Control to
address those public health issues. There are just multiple fronts we are
working on to respond to the hurricane.
Q Two quick clarifications, please. Was the lunch with Chairman Greenspan
scheduled previously, previous to the --
MR. McCLELLAN: No.
Q So it was --
MR. McCLELLAN: He does have lunch with Chairman Greenspan from
time-to-time, but this was set up for the purpose of talking about the
economic impact.
Q And the second is, based on what you have said today, and what the
President said this morning on television, is it fair to say that the
President feels that all the help has been provided as quickly and
sufficient quantity as possible?
MR. McCLELLAN: Ed, for those on the ground who are still in need of
assistance, I think they would tell you that it hasn't. They need that
help yesterday. But we are doing everything in our power to get assistance
to those who need it. Obviously, when you have a situation of this
magnitude, you have to prioritize, what are the most urgent pressing needs
and make sure that those needs are being met first. And that's what we're
doing in partnership with state and local authorities.
Q Scott, I know the President obviously is focused on response efforts
right now, but can I talk to you about preparedness? Is the President
satisfied with the way assets were pre-positioned, specifically in those
areas like New Orleans and Mississippi, New Orleans particularly, a place
that was identified by the Red Cross as being particularly vulnerable
because of its geographical location. Is the President satisfied?
MR. McCLELLAN: One thing that I think is important to keep in mind at this
time, this is the immediate aftermath of a major catastrophe. This is a
time when the whole country needs to come together to help those in the
region. And that's where our focus is. This is not a time to get into any
finger pointing or politics or anything of that nature. This is a time to
make sure all our resources available are focused where they need to be,
and that is on the people who have been displaced or the people who have
been otherwise affected by this natural disaster. And that's exactly what
we're doing.
In terms of the hurricane, itself, remember we took a number of steps
prior to the hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast region. We -- the President
issued disaster declarations for the states in the region prior to the
hurricane hitting shore. That enabled FEMA to fully mobilize all the
resources needed to pre-position assets, like disaster medical assistance
teams and search and rescue teams, so that they would be able to quickly
deploy and help.
I think on Tuesday everybody recognized that this -- if not sooner -- that
this natural disaster is unprecedented. It is, as I said, perhaps the, if
not -- certainly one of, if not the, worst natural disasters in our
nation's history. And that's we have a massive federal response effort
underway. But Mike Brown was working closely with the state and local
authorities in the region last week, leading up to the hurricane hitting
at the early part of this week. And so there was a lot of pre-positioning
of assets and people and resources prior to the arrival of Katrina.
Q Scott, there's already a line of discussion going on about the funding
of projects prior to this, whether projects in New Orleans, in particular,
were under funded because of the Iraq war or for other reasons. Is there a
-- do you find any of this criticism legitimate? Do you think there is any
second-guessing to be done now about priorities, given that the New
Orleans situation was sort of obvious to a lot of the experts?
MR. McCLELLAN: As I indicated, this is not a time for politics. This is a
time for the nation to come together and help those in the Gulf Coast
region. And that's where our focus is. This is not a time for
finger-pointing or playing politics. And I think the last thing that the
people who have been displaced or the people who have been affected need
is people seeking partisan gain in Washington. And so if that's what
you're talking about, that's one thing.
Now, if you're talking about specific areas, if you're talking about
specific areas, I think I would be glad to talk about some of those, if
that's what you want. I don't know what specific areas you're --
Q I'm talking about policy. I'm talking about the SELA project, for
instance, is one some people cite where they felt they needed $60 million
in the current '06 fiscal year, they were given $10 million, those types
of projects. And a lot of --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry, which project --
Q SELA -- Southeast Louisiana flood control --
MR. McCLELLAN: Flood control has been a priority of this administration
from day one. We have dedicated an additional $300 million over the last
few years for flood control in New Orleans and the surrounding area. And
if you look at the overall funding levels for the Army Corps of Engineers,
they have been slightly above $4.5 billion that has been signed by the
President.
Q Local people were asking for more money over the last couple of years.
They were quoted in local papers in 2003 and 2004, are saying that they
were told by federal officials there wasn't enough money because it was
going to Iraq expenditures.
MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to talk to General Strock, who is the
commander of the Army Corps of Engineers, because I think he's talked to
some reporters already and talked about some of these issues. I think some
people maybe have tried to make a suggestion or imply that certain funding
would have prevented the flooding from happening, and he has essentially
said there's been nothing to suggest that whatsoever, and it's been more
of a design issue with the levees.
Q Without getting into finger-pointing or partisan politics or anything,
would you concede that, given the difficult reality on the ground there
now, that more could have, or should have been done to have resources
available, to move quickly or to be there? Or is it your position that
this is simply the nature of responding to disasters of this scale, that
it's going to take days or weeks to get --
MR. McCLELLAN: Very legitimate question. I think that that's something
that, over time, will be able to be addressed and looked at. I mean,
you're still, right now, trying to assess all the damage and destruction
that's been done. Now is the time to remain focused on the response and
recovery efforts, and that's what we're doing. There will be a time for
politics later; there will be a time to look at all these other issues and
do more of a critique or assessment of the response efforts. But right now
we're making sure that we're doing everything in our power to respond to
this natural disaster.
Q Would you expect that, as a result of this, in the long run, when that
time comes, that there will have to be an overhaul of the National
Response Plan, both in terms of dealing with natural disasters, as well as
what we're going to learn from this, should there be any --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think in any situation like this, you're obviously going
to look back at it and learn from it. And that's something that would be
expected, to make sure that in the future we take into account what we've
learned. I think it's just too early to get into that kind of discussion.
Right now there are a lot of people who are in need, and we need to make
sure the assistance is getting to them.
Q It's search and rescue now, and in a very few days it's probably going
to start shifting to search and recovery, sadly, so clearly, there's
urgency now. Have you considered making a request for international aid?
Has it been considered getting -- from all the states, or even co-opting
domestic airlines to get them to evacuate people or to bring --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not talking about any specific area. Again, this is
something that is probably a question best directed to the Department of
Homeland Security at one of their briefings, when you're looking at some
of these issues. But I don't think we're ruling things out at this point,
I mean, in terms of any area. In terms of requests from -- or in terms of
assistance from other nations, as I just indicated earlier today, we are
open to all offers of assistance from other nations and --
Q Is that a request? Would you put that into a form of a request?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- I would expect we would take people up on offers of
assistance when it's necessary.
Q So that is a request? You are requesting international aid?
MR. McCLELLAN: No. I mean, I think that a lot of nations have offered
assistance. I don't know of any particular request that I have to update
you on at this point. And the point I think I'm making is that we're not
ruling things out, so whenever you're looking at any area to help with the
response and recovery efforts, you always want to consider all your
options that are available.
And so I don't know -- the President talked earlier today when he was
asked about -- I think it was about Saudi Arabia, and he said he was
confident Saudi Arabia would provide what assistance they could when it
came to the energy supply. But of course, he talked about how their
capacity was limited. There are a lot of ways people can help. And
certainly, we're going to look at those offers and take people up on those
offers, I would expect.
Q Isn't the time, though, now in terms of getting people out alive, maybe
getting rescuers in, whereas in some days' time it may only be money or
body recovery?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry, as in --
Q The time now to request international aid, international --
MR. McCLELLAN: There's a lot of assistance coming in. And I think some
have offered already offered assistance in different ways, so I don't
think that the way you characterize it is necessarily the way I would look
at it.
Q Scott, I know that it's fairly early in the fact-finding department, but
what's the best guess on when there might be a ballpark figure on how much
this might cost in terms of the supplemental budget request?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's something we continue to work on, and we continue to
assess what those needs. Obviously, as the damage and devastation is
assessed by people on the ground, then that helps you come to a better,
more precise estimate of that.
Q On a related point, motorists around the country are now in many places
paying more than $3 a gallon for gasoline. Most analysts expect that to
remain the case for days and weeks to come. Are we going to hear anything
from the President on asking Americans to do what they can to conserve?
MR. McCLELLAN: You heard from him earlier today. The President indicated
that where people can they should conserve. And he talked about the steps
we're taking to address the issue of high gas prices and a shortage of
supply, that it has led to an increase in gas prices. And that's why the
Department of Energy is making loans available to help address some of
that shortage, making loans from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
available. That's why the EPA issued the waiver when it came to certain
fuels so that that could help address some of the shortage.
That's why the President made it very clear in the meeting yesterday, and
made it very clear today, as well, that we will not tolerate
price-gouging. We will not tolerate insurance fraud and things of that
nature, and the Department of Energy has a website available for people to
report instances of price-gouging and things of that nature.
Go ahead, Les.
Q Scott, two questions. First, in the problem of looting, what is the
President's reaction to the 1968 statement of Philadelphia's Frank Rizzo
that "all looters would be shot," and then three looters were shot, and
the looting in Philadelphia stopped?
MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I haven't discussed that with him in the midst of all
the response and recovery efforts that are ongoing with Katrina.
Q Looting is a problem.
MR. McCLELLAN: Looting will not be tolerated. The President made that
clear that it should be zero tolerance when it comes to looters. And
that's why we are in close communication with Governor Blanco and other
officials in Louisiana to address the law enforcement and security
concerns on the ground in New Orleans. And that's why you have National
Guard deployed there, additional National Guard going in there to help
address some of the security concerns.
There are many, many instances of neighbor helping neighbor during this
time. And I don't think that can be lost either. We've seen the looting on
our TV screens, and it's a terrible sight to see some of the violence and
the looting that is going on during this difficult and trying time. But
there are also many instances where people are helping one another. People
are reaching out to their neighbors to evacuate them, or get them safe
locations, or provide them with food and water. And I don't think that the
many acts of compassion and kindness should be lost in this discussion
either.
Q The new President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been identified by
at least five former U.S. --
MR. McCLELLAN: Tell you what, let me stick on the hurricane.
Q Yes.
Q Thank you.
MR. McCLELLAN: If we have time, I'll be glad to come back to that.
John, go ahead.
Q Okay. In November of 1997, the then Mayor of Omaha, after his city was
hit with a massive snow storm, the biggest in history, declined federal
aid and emergency relief. Did any of the three governors the President
talked to in the area say they could do it on their own, or did they push
for federal disaster relief?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think more -- no, I think more of the -- well, they all
made requests. I mean, we were in close communication with them, with --
leading up to --
Q So it originated with the governors.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I wouldn't say that. We were in close communication
with them. I think it was in concert with those officials. And we stayed
in close communication with those governors to make sure that needs are
prioritized and that resources are prioritized, that federal resources are
prioritized and that -- along with those state and local ones so that we
can make sure we're covering all the different areas that need to be
covered.
Q So let me get it straight. None of the three --
MR. McCLELLAN: As best we can, I should say.
Q Sure. None of the three governors said they did not want the federal
assistance and could handle it on their own?
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't heard anything like that. I think we worked in
concert with those governors to issue those disaster declarations ahead of
time, and so that we could preposition a lot of resources on the ground.
Richard, go ahead.
Q Has the President received any personal phone calls from foreign leaders
offering assistance --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he's received condolences calls, and those leaders
have offered their support and assistance. But it's been general. I mean,
these have been brief calls.
Q --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, yesterday, he spoke with King Abdullah and this
morning, he spoke with Prime Minister Martin of Canada.
Q They called him?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes. Those were calls he took from --
Q --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- he took from those leaders. Well, he's -- he stays in
touch with leaders like Prime Minister Blair on a regular basis, too, but
those aren't conversations that we get into. You know, there are many
governments that have expressed their condolences and offered their
assistance through the Department -- through their embassies or through
the Department of State. And the State Department mentioned some of those,
and I expect they'll probably be giving you an update today on that, as
well.
Peter.
Q Scott, thanks. Two questions on this conservation issue. You say where
people can conserve, they should conserve. Do you expect anything stronger
from the administration, given what the situation is, any stronger
statement than that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we're continuing to assess things. There's the
short-term issue of the shortage of gas supply, and I think part of that
depends on the ability to address some of these issues in other ways, as
well. But these are issues that we continue to look at.
And in terms of the energy supply, there -- as I mentioned earlier today,
there are a number of refineries that are down. There are several
pipelines that were down. Some of those pipelines, it is my understanding,
are back online, to some extent at least. And they're working to get some
of the others back online, as well. So it's something we're continually
assessing, and that's what we're doing.
Q What order has the President or the Energy Secretary or anyone else in
authority issued in terms of government conservation? The government has
one of the biggest --
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, as I said, this is just a matter of a couple of days
after the hurricane hit, and these are all issues that we are looking at.
Q So there's no order for cars that idle here, and that sort of thing?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there's a Homeland Security briefing, too, and they
will keep you updated on activities going on. But again, in any area --
I'm not talking about any specific area, but in any area -- we're not
ruling things out. We're looking at what needs to be done to address
problems. The people in the region want their leaders here to solve the
problems that are occurring.
This is a hurricane that not only affected the region, but it had a
national impact, as well. It had a national impact on the gas supply. And
it has -- it created at least a short-term shortage of supply. And that's
something that -- one of the problems that we're working to address, and
that's why we've taken the steps that we have, and we will, obviously, be
continuing to keep you posted as we move forward.
Go ahead.
Q Is there a concern this disaster poses a national security threat?
Terrorists or people could come across the border now amidst this chaos to
move northward and do something bad?
MR. McCLELLAN: Obviously, we have people working around the clock to
address threats, terrorist threats, on the homeland. Obviously, the best
way to prevent attacks from happening on the homeland is to stay on the
offensive, and that's what we're doing. Those are questions you might want
to direct to the Department of Homeland Security if they have anything
else to update you on. Our focus has been on the response and recovery
efforts from here. I don't have anything -- I don't have anything to
update you on.
Q --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, at least in parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, there
has been declarations of Marshal Law in certain areas.
Ken, go ahead.
Q Scott, you said on energy, you're not ruling things out. Are price
controls on gasoline among the things you're not ruling out?
MR. McCLELLAN: The steps that we're taking -- or the steps that the
President said that we're taking at this point, and those are the ones
that I've heard discussed at this point.
Q Are price controls ruled out?
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't -- Ken, in terms of the options that are -- that
we're pursuing, they're the ones that we have announced. If there are any
additional steps that we take, I'll be glad to talk to you about that at
this point. But I think you have to look at how we're working to address
the supply in terms of energy. And that's why we've taken steps through
the Department of Energy with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, that's why
the waiver -- we've taken action with the waiver through the EPA. It's not
something I've heard discussed at this point.
Go ahead.
Q Scott, some in small towns in the affected hurricane areas, like
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, are telling national organizations that they've
been told it will be months before anyone can come into their towns and
help. Now is there any equitable approach to getting help to those small
affected communities?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know if it's months before they can come in to give
them help. I know that there's been -- I've seen reports about months
before people can return to their homes. But regardless, as I said, we're
working very closely with the state and local authorities to address the
needs of the people who have been affected.
Q Do you know anything about how small towns have being responded to
versus a larger community?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think in terms -- those are operational details that are
probably are best provided either by the briefings held on the ground in
Baton Rouge by FEMA or the briefings by the Department of Homeland
Security.
Q And second, Scott, one more. This is hurricane season -- we're still in
hurricane season. What is this administration doing to help prevent the
type of devastation we're seeing now --
MR. McCLELLAN: It's a very good point. We still are in hurricane season,
and you will remember last year that there were a number of hurricanes
that hit -- well, four, I recall, that hit Florida. And so there -- we
have to keep that in mind and continue preparing for the possibility of
additional hurricanes that could hit the United States. And we have people
that are focused on that.
Q Scott?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.
Q Scott, the Louisiana Governor yesterday declared or proclaimed a day of
prayer in her state. Has the President discussed any idea of doing that on
a national basis?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, as I mentioned, our hearts and prayers continue to go
out to people in the region. The President has said on behalf of the
nation, we appreciate all those who are offering their prayers to the
people in the region. And in terms of any updates, I don't have anything
else to update you on besides that.
Jessica, go ahead.
Q Scott, since the briefing started, I've gotten a number of emails from
people saying that correspondents who've been in Baghdad and New Orleans
say Baghdad feels safer to operate in; people saying that it's absolute
chaos in the streets; message boards on the Internet are going crazy.
They're frustrated that you're deflecting this to FEMA. Is the White House
properly, adequately concerned? And can you tell us --
MR. McCLELLAN: Deflecting what to FEMA?
Q You're deflecting all specifics to the FEMA briefing.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm not. I've given you some updates, but they are the
ones who are in charge of operational aspects on the ground. And the
Department of Homeland Security is in charge of the operational aspects
from Washington, D.C. And they're pulling together officials that will
have the most updated information to you. So your characterization is just
wrong, Jessica.
Q Why have helicopters stopped flying over New Orleans?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, the people on the ground will be able to provide you
with the latest information on that. As I would with any engagement abroad
in terms of operational activities, as you mentioned, with the military,
the people who are in the best position to give you those updates are the
ones who are overseeing the operational activities. That is being done by
the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, and it's being done by
FEMA on the ground in the region. So that information is being provided to
you all.
Q Thank you.
MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you.
END 1:11 P.M. EDT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050901-2.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050901-2.html
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 1, 2005
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
James S. Brady Briefing Room
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. Tomorrow morning the President will visit
and tour the Gulf Coast region and get a closer look at the enormous
devastation from Hurricane Katrina. The hearts and prayers of the American
people continue to go out to all the citizens in the affected areas of the
Gulf Coast. The nation stands with all those in the region who have been
affected by one of the most devastating natural disasters in our nation's
history.
It was very sobering as we were traveling over the region yesterday,
returning to Washington, to see the devastation and damage from Katrina,
and to see the flooding and to see the homes that had been destroyed.
Tomorrow's visit is another way for the President to show the nation's
support and compassion for the victims and our appreciation for those who
are helping with the ongoing response and recovery efforts. It is an
opportunity for the President to get a first-hand, up-close look at the
response and recovery efforts, and to hear from those on the ground. It is
also a time, simply, to offer some encouragement and comfort to boost the
spirits of the people, those who are helping in the response, and those
who have been displaced by the hurricane.
The schedule is very fluid at this point, and it is certainly subject to
change. The general plan for tomorrow is as follows. The President will
first stop in Mobile, Alabama. I expect he will meet with Governors Riley
and Barbour. Then he will, along with the governors, do a helicopter tour
of the Alabama-Mississippi coast, along the Mobile, Biloxi, Gulfport area.
Following the aerial tour, I expect he will visit a location or two on the
ground in Mississippi. Then he will depart for New Orleans, where he will
be joined by Governor Blanco. He will then do an aerial tour of New
Orleans, and we're still working on the rest of the schedule for New
Orleans at this point. We will keep you updated on any changes or
additions to the schedule as we get them.
This is a massive federal response effort that is underway. We are
continuing to coordinate closely with state and local authorities. Just to
put it in perspective, the total amount of lands that is under federal
disaster area declaration is approximately 90,000 square miles.
The President continues to spend much of the day focused on the federal
government's response efforts. This morning the President called Petty
Officer Josh Mitcheltree of the United States Coast Guard. He is a swimmer
who has been involved in the search and rescue efforts. The President
expressed his appreciation for his efforts and the round-the-clock efforts
of his colleagues. Hopefully it helped to boost their spirits during this
trying time. It was also an opportunity for the President to get a
first-hand account of the ongoing response efforts, and the search and
rescue efforts.
The President also spoke with Mike Brown this morning to get an
operational update from the ground. He's been in discussions with White
House staff throughout the day. He met with Secretary Rumsfeld, General
Myers and General Blum, who is head of the Army National Guard, along with
Secretary Chertoff earlier today. He received an update from Secretary
Chertoff on the operational aspects and he also had a discussion with
those individuals about the latest security situation on the ground,
particularly in the New Orleans area.
At 1:30 p.m. today, Secretary Chertoff will be joined by General Blum and
others to provide an operational update. I expect one of the issues they
will talk about is the law enforcement and security situation on the
ground, and I think they can provide you with an update of the increase in
the number of National Guard troops, over the course of today and the next
couple of days, to address some of those issues --
Q Do they have enough National Guard --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- to address some of those issues on the ground. Right
now, the President is having lunch with Chairman Greenspan. This is an
opportunity to talk about -- the purpose of the meeting really is to focus
on the economic impact. Following that lunch, the President is
participating in a briefing with his economic team to get a preliminary
assessment of Hurricane Katrina's economic impact.
And then at 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, the President will meet with former
Presidents Bush and Clinton to announce an effort that they will lead to
raise private funds for victims of Katrina. This is similar to the effort
they led with the tsunami relief, where they helped to raise more than $1
billion in an unprecedented effort to help people in that region.
This is a national tragedy and one of the best ways for the American
people to show our compassion for the people in the Gulf Coast region is
to support with the nation the efforts of the Red Cross and Salvation Army
and others who are helping people in the region. The American people are
already showing their generosity and providing significant contributions,
but this will be an ongoing effort. It will be a long and difficult road
ahead, as the President said, and it will require continued support from
all Americans. The President and Mrs. Bush, today, will be sending a
significant contribution to the Red Cross, as well.
One other announcement, and then I'll be glad to go to your questions. In
just the past two days, the President has received requests from Governor
Blanco, Governor Riley, and Governor Barbour for a waiver of state
cost-share requirements for emergency response activities, and today the
President is granting that waiver. The President's action today will
increase the federal share from the current 75-percent level to 100
percent federal funding for a period of 60 days, retroactive to the date
of the major disaster declaration. This effort -- or this action
recognizes the unprecedented scope and impact of this disaster. These
extra funds will allow the federal government, through FEMA, to pay for
100 percent of the cost of debris removal and emergency protective
measures taken by local first responders under the public assistance
program, including direct federal activities.
As I mentioned, this action comes on the heels of the emergency
declarations the President issued on August 28th and 29th for Louisiana,
Alabama and Mississippi, which allowed FEMA to identify and mobilize the
equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impact of the emergency
in those areas. And this is a rule that was established under the Stafford
Act law, and that's what the waiver relates to.
And with that, I will be glad to go to your questions.
Q Scott, what's your latest estimate of the damage caused by the
hurricane?
MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, there's going to be an operational update later
today. That might -- by Secretary Chertoff. That might be a place to
direct that question. I don't -- I think that it's still very early in the
assessment of the damage and devastation that was caused by this
hurricane, so I don't have an updated number or anything to put on it at
this point. But as I mentioned, this covers some 90,000 square miles, and
certainly yesterday, when we were traveling over the region and looked out
at the devastation, it was enormous.
Now, you've got, really, two different situations you're dealing with in
Mississippi and Louisiana. I think we could see that from the air
yesterday. In Mississippi, it's more of the wind damage; the hurricane
simply wiped out homes on the ground and wiped out structures on the
ground. You can see homes that were in pieces, or homes where just slabs
of concrete were left, because those homes had been completely wiped out.
In the New Orleans area, of course, you have the flooding. And while our
focus remains, first and foremost, on saving lives, we are also working to
stop the flooding and fix the breaks in the levees to address those
problems on the ground as we also continue evacuating people in New
Orleans.
Q People on the ground, though, Scott, are questioning why it's taken
three days or more for federal help to arrive, notwithstanding all of the
preparations. There's considerable bitterness in some places. We had one
woman ask on camera last night, where's the cavalry? And then there's been
editorial criticism across the country of the President for not acting
sooner, or not coming back sooner. What do you say to all that?
MR. McCLELLAN: I can understand how frustrated people are in the region
who have been affected by this. There are some immediate priorities that
we must remain focused on. First and foremost, that is saving lives. And
second, right along with that, is sustaining lives. That's why the federal
government is working in close partnership with state and local
authorities. This is a massive undertaking by the federal government. It
is unprecedented. We continue -- remember, we pre-positioned assets in the
region prior to the storm hitting. You have more than 50 disaster medical
assistance teams in the region. You have some 28-plus search and rescue
teams deployed in the region. Those efforts are ongoing.
I can understand people who have not received the help they need being
frustrated at this point. It's going to take time to get help to some
people. We've got to prioritize what the needs are, and that's exactly
what the federal government is doing. And we are going to continue moving
resources and assets into the region to help those who are in need. And we
-- if you look at what the Department of Transportation, for instance, has
done, they have moved I think approximately 1,000 truckloads containing
more than -- nearly 7 million Meals Ready To Eat to the region. They have
moved millions of gallons of water, 15,000-plus tarps, 10,000-plus rolls
of plastic sheeting, 3.4 million pounds of ice that they have helped to
transport to those who are in need of those supplies.
Q But none of that means anything to somebody who has been living on an
interstate overpass for the last three days, without food or water, or any
kind of assistance, local or federal.
MR. McCLELLAN: As we were passing over the region yesterday, Bill, we saw
people that were standing on those highways, those highways that just
disappeared into the water. We saw people that were on rooftops. We saw
helicopters in the distance engaged in search and rescue operations as we
were passing through the region.
Our concern, first and foremost, is with the people who have been
displaced or affected otherwise by this major catastrophe. It is a major
catastrophe and there is a major response to this catastrophe. And the
federal government will continue working to do everything in our power to
get help to those in need. But we certainly understand the frustration
coming from people on the ground who are in need of help and we will
continue working to get them the assistance that they need. We appreciate
the efforts of all those in the region who are working round-the-clock to
make sure that they are getting help.
Q Are you going to bring back any National Guardsmen from Iraq to help?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that the military talked about that a little bit
yesterday. I think you're talking about two separate priorities and we're
addressing both. And they'll be talking later today, I think, about some
of the ongoing increase in the number of National Guard units that are
being deployed to the New Orleans area to meet the security and law
enforcement needs that are on the ground.
Q Do you have enough troops on hand?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that they've indicated that, yes.
Q Scott, what impact is this having on the budget? Are you preparing a
budget supplemental to take care of it, or how much money are we talking
about?
MR. McCLELLAN: That is a good question. We had significant resources
available for the short-term needs. We are fully committed to making sure
that the needs on the ground are met, and doing what is within our power
to do at the federal level. That's why I mentioned the announcement today
of the waiver by the President of the United States.
Congress is in the process of returning from their August break. We
believe that we have the resources we need in the short-term to meet the
needs on the ground, but we will be discussing with Congress -- in fact,
we already are discussing with some members of Congress -- how we move
forward on additional supplemental funding to meet the needs down the
road. And you can expect that we will act with members -- with Congress to
address those needs and provide additional funding that is needed.
It's also important to continue making the assessments of what is needed,
and so that is one of the things -- Terry brought that up at the beginning
of the briefing -- that's one of the things we're doing, is making an
assessment on what additional funding may be needed, so that we can move
forward and pass that quickly once Congress is back in session.
Q You don't have a ballpark figure yet?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I don't have that today.
Q Do you know how much the former Presidents are hoping to raise, and will
they be seeking money from corporate America --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't -- I recall, in the tsunami relief, I mean --
obviously, this is something that's just been pulled together in the last
day or so. On the tsunami relief efforts, the total amount raised, as I
pointed out, was more than $1 billion. That is not all necessarily
attributable to their efforts, but certainly they provided a lot of help
in that. And I don't believe that they set necessarily a target goal; this
is just to maximize the response from the American people and maximize
those contributions.
I'd also point out that we have received numerous offers of condolence and
assistance from nations around the world, and I think you can expect that
we intend to take nations up on their offers of assistance. And the State
Department can probably talk to you more about that if there is any more
to add to it.
Jessica.
Q Scott, two questions. First, we've heard a number of reports about crime
deterring people from making rescues, that FEMA has called off some
rescues in some areas, that helicopters have been shot at, that there's
been some shooting in hospitals, and yet, some of this has proved to be
urban myth. Can you sort of set the record straight on what you're hearing
here at the White House?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that the best place to ask that question is going
to be at the briefing at 1:30 p.m. or at the briefing later today by FEMA
officials from the region. They will have the most up-to-date information
on operational matters on the ground.
Q Are you concerned that the --
MR. McCLELLAN: Now it is a -- the security situation is a concern. It is a
priority. We are working very closely with state and local authorities.
We're in close communication with Governor Blanco and other officials on
these issues. And the President, I think, made it very clear earlier today
that we will not tolerate law breakers, we will not tolerate
price-gouging, we will not tolerate insurance fraud, we won't tolerate
looting. And there is a zero tolerance approach when it comes to these
issues.
Q And the second question, the Department of Energy reports that about 35
percent of customers won't have power -- in the area, don't have power.
One of the problems is the people who would go bring them power are
sleeping in their trucks. They don't even have the food and resources to
get there and help themselves. It seems that these local communities are
having trouble even taking care of themselves. Is there any thought about
federalizing the effort to not just be a task force from the federal
government, but clearly control and oversee the rescue and recovery from
here?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, that's getting into some of the operational aspects.
Secretary Chertoff and the Department of Homeland Security are overseeing
all the operational activities. I think a question like that would be best
directed to them.
Now, in terms of the electricity issues, yes, the Department of Energy is
looking at those very closely. We -- one of our concerns when it comes to
the economy, of course, is the shortage of gas. And that's an issue we've
been working to address. That's why the EPA moved forward on a waiver
yesterday so that the regulations prohibiting some fuel from being used
can now -- that fuel can now be used. And that's why Secretary Bodman is
moving forward on approving loans from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, so
that we can address the short-term issues that have been caused by this
hurricane. And, certainly this is something that has a national impact.
Q Is it something the President is considering?
MR. McCLELLAN: Is what something the President is --
Q Federalizing this effort?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, that's a question you ought to direct to the
Department of Homeland Security.
Q Scott, do you cited the President's zero tolerance for insurance fraud,
looting, price gouging. Does he make any allowance for people who have yet
to receive aid who are taking things like water or food or shoes to walk
among the debris?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you heard from the President earlier today about
his zero tolerance. We understand the need for food and water and supplies
of that nature. That's why we have a massive effort underway to continue
getting food and water and ice to those who are in need. There are ways
for them to get that help. Looting is not the way for them to do it.
Q Scott, I read that Air Force One on the way back from Texas had dipped
down as low as 1,500 feet.
MR. McCLELLAN: Seventeen-hundred feet, for a brief period.
Q Brief. How briefly? Can you tell us -- were you looking out the window,
was the President? What did he see, what was the reaction?
MR. McCLELLAN: It was -- most of the flight over the region it was pretty
clear, and we were able to get a good look at the devastation from the
air. I think when we were coming to the Mobile area, that there were some
thunderstorms in the area, so we didn't get to see part of that -- that
part of the region as closely as maybe we'd have liked. But when we flew
over New Orleans, we were at 2,500 feet, and then for a brief period after
we left New Orleans, we went down to about 1,700 feet, and then we went
back up to 2,500 feet soon after that.
The one thing that the pilots aboard Air Force One did, at the direction
of the President and the White House, was to make sure that the flyover in
the region was in no way going to disrupt the ongoing response and
recovery efforts, the ongoing search and rescue efforts. That's why they
were in close contact with people on the ground in the region, authorities
on the ground, to make sure that the level we were at, and where we were
flying over was in no way disrupting those ongoing activities. So they
were very careful about that.
Q Scott, you talk about the difference between the short-term planning
underway now versus the long-term planning to come. Describe for us what
short-term means in the context of this catastrophe, when does the
long-term planning start, and in terms of housing the displaced residents
and the refugees, do you have any kind of an estimate as to how many
people in that 90,000 square mile area that you're talking about are still
displaced, unsheltered?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think, again, that might be one to direct to FEMA on
the ground or the Department of Homeland Security here in Washington at
one of their briefings, to see if they have any latest update on the
number of people that have been displaced. It is certainly a large number
of people that have been displaced because of this natural disaster. And
as you're aware, officials are in the process of evacuating people from
New Orleans, particularly the Superdome, people that are housed there, and
moving them to the Astrodome in Houston. That is something that is
ongoing. Busses are still en route to the Superdome to move people.
In terms of the short-term and long-term, that is what the -- where the
President's focus really is, is, one, the short-term immediate need. Are
we doing everything in our power to meet the urgent needs on the ground,
the needs of the people. First and foremost it's about saving lives. So
those search and rescue operations continue. A close second to that is
sustaining life. And that means making sure people have the food and the
water and the ice and the shelter and that they're getting their needs met
in that respect.
And in terms of the long-term strategy, that was one of the things the
President directed the task force to make sure that they were working on,
that we'll continue developing a long-term strategy to address the needs
going forward. This will be a long and difficult road as we work to
rebuild the great city of New Orleans and we work to help people rebuild
their lives and get back on their feet.
Q In the context of folks who are now looking at perhaps never seeing
their homes again or perhaps being in shelters for months at a time, can
you give us some idea -- are we talking about a short-term strategy period
of three months, six months, a year?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are many -- and I want to leave this to those
who are overseeing those operational aspects, I leave those questions to
them. But there are many federal agencies involved in this effort.
Yesterday, the President sat down with the first meeting of the task force
that we established to help with the coordination. Secretary Chertoff is
chairing that task force, and he's also overseeing the operational
aspects.
But you had Cabinet Secretaries from many agencies sitting at the table --
the Department of Transportation is an agency I just mentioned; the
Department of Defense, they're deploying -- continuing to deploy a large
amount of military assets to the region, from ships, to troops, to help
with the response and recovery efforts; you have the Department of Energy;
you have the Department of Homeland Security, obviously, and FEMA, under
the Department of Homeland Security, that is overseeing this effort; the
Department of -- the Housing -- the Department of Housing and Urban
Development to look at those issues when it comes to people being
displaced and where we can provide temporary housing for those
individuals; you have the Department of Labor and Social Security
Administration addressing the issues of Social Security checks and
unemployment insurance and things of that nature and how we're going to
get people help.
So we are acting on many fronts throughout the federal government. This is
an unprecedented effort on behalf of the federal government, and it is
being closely coordinated under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland
Security. As you will recall, we developed the national response plan for
the purpose of situations like this. The national response plan was
implemented by Secretary Chertoff just the other day. This is the first
time it's ever been implemented. And it allows us to really fully mobilize
all the resources the federal government needed to address a situation
like this and do so under one umbrella of the Department of Homeland
Security -- and the Department of Health and Human Services. There are
concerns about public health and disease and things of that nature. So
they're working very closely with the Centers for Disease Control to
address those public health issues. There are just multiple fronts we are
working on to respond to the hurricane.
Q Two quick clarifications, please. Was the lunch with Chairman Greenspan
scheduled previously, previous to the --
MR. McCLELLAN: No.
Q So it was --
MR. McCLELLAN: He does have lunch with Chairman Greenspan from
time-to-time, but this was set up for the purpose of talking about the
economic impact.
Q And the second is, based on what you have said today, and what the
President said this morning on television, is it fair to say that the
President feels that all the help has been provided as quickly and
sufficient quantity as possible?
MR. McCLELLAN: Ed, for those on the ground who are still in need of
assistance, I think they would tell you that it hasn't. They need that
help yesterday. But we are doing everything in our power to get assistance
to those who need it. Obviously, when you have a situation of this
magnitude, you have to prioritize, what are the most urgent pressing needs
and make sure that those needs are being met first. And that's what we're
doing in partnership with state and local authorities.
Q Scott, I know the President obviously is focused on response efforts
right now, but can I talk to you about preparedness? Is the President
satisfied with the way assets were pre-positioned, specifically in those
areas like New Orleans and Mississippi, New Orleans particularly, a place
that was identified by the Red Cross as being particularly vulnerable
because of its geographical location. Is the President satisfied?
MR. McCLELLAN: One thing that I think is important to keep in mind at this
time, this is the immediate aftermath of a major catastrophe. This is a
time when the whole country needs to come together to help those in the
region. And that's where our focus is. This is not a time to get into any
finger pointing or politics or anything of that nature. This is a time to
make sure all our resources available are focused where they need to be,
and that is on the people who have been displaced or the people who have
been otherwise affected by this natural disaster. And that's exactly what
we're doing.
In terms of the hurricane, itself, remember we took a number of steps
prior to the hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast region. We -- the President
issued disaster declarations for the states in the region prior to the
hurricane hitting shore. That enabled FEMA to fully mobilize all the
resources needed to pre-position assets, like disaster medical assistance
teams and search and rescue teams, so that they would be able to quickly
deploy and help.
I think on Tuesday everybody recognized that this -- if not sooner -- that
this natural disaster is unprecedented. It is, as I said, perhaps the, if
not -- certainly one of, if not the, worst natural disasters in our
nation's history. And that's we have a massive federal response effort
underway. But Mike Brown was working closely with the state and local
authorities in the region last week, leading up to the hurricane hitting
at the early part of this week. And so there was a lot of pre-positioning
of assets and people and resources prior to the arrival of Katrina.
Q Scott, there's already a line of discussion going on about the funding
of projects prior to this, whether projects in New Orleans, in particular,
were under funded because of the Iraq war or for other reasons. Is there a
-- do you find any of this criticism legitimate? Do you think there is any
second-guessing to be done now about priorities, given that the New
Orleans situation was sort of obvious to a lot of the experts?
MR. McCLELLAN: As I indicated, this is not a time for politics. This is a
time for the nation to come together and help those in the Gulf Coast
region. And that's where our focus is. This is not a time for
finger-pointing or playing politics. And I think the last thing that the
people who have been displaced or the people who have been affected need
is people seeking partisan gain in Washington. And so if that's what
you're talking about, that's one thing.
Now, if you're talking about specific areas, if you're talking about
specific areas, I think I would be glad to talk about some of those, if
that's what you want. I don't know what specific areas you're --
Q I'm talking about policy. I'm talking about the SELA project, for
instance, is one some people cite where they felt they needed $60 million
in the current '06 fiscal year, they were given $10 million, those types
of projects. And a lot of --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry, which project --
Q SELA -- Southeast Louisiana flood control --
MR. McCLELLAN: Flood control has been a priority of this administration
from day one. We have dedicated an additional $300 million over the last
few years for flood control in New Orleans and the surrounding area. And
if you look at the overall funding levels for the Army Corps of Engineers,
they have been slightly above $4.5 billion that has been signed by the
President.
Q Local people were asking for more money over the last couple of years.
They were quoted in local papers in 2003 and 2004, are saying that they
were told by federal officials there wasn't enough money because it was
going to Iraq expenditures.
MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to talk to General Strock, who is the
commander of the Army Corps of Engineers, because I think he's talked to
some reporters already and talked about some of these issues. I think some
people maybe have tried to make a suggestion or imply that certain funding
would have prevented the flooding from happening, and he has essentially
said there's been nothing to suggest that whatsoever, and it's been more
of a design issue with the levees.
Q Without getting into finger-pointing or partisan politics or anything,
would you concede that, given the difficult reality on the ground there
now, that more could have, or should have been done to have resources
available, to move quickly or to be there? Or is it your position that
this is simply the nature of responding to disasters of this scale, that
it's going to take days or weeks to get --
MR. McCLELLAN: Very legitimate question. I think that that's something
that, over time, will be able to be addressed and looked at. I mean,
you're still, right now, trying to assess all the damage and destruction
that's been done. Now is the time to remain focused on the response and
recovery efforts, and that's what we're doing. There will be a time for
politics later; there will be a time to look at all these other issues and
do more of a critique or assessment of the response efforts. But right now
we're making sure that we're doing everything in our power to respond to
this natural disaster.
Q Would you expect that, as a result of this, in the long run, when that
time comes, that there will have to be an overhaul of the National
Response Plan, both in terms of dealing with natural disasters, as well as
what we're going to learn from this, should there be any --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think in any situation like this, you're obviously going
to look back at it and learn from it. And that's something that would be
expected, to make sure that in the future we take into account what we've
learned. I think it's just too early to get into that kind of discussion.
Right now there are a lot of people who are in need, and we need to make
sure the assistance is getting to them.
Q It's search and rescue now, and in a very few days it's probably going
to start shifting to search and recovery, sadly, so clearly, there's
urgency now. Have you considered making a request for international aid?
Has it been considered getting -- from all the states, or even co-opting
domestic airlines to get them to evacuate people or to bring --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not talking about any specific area. Again, this is
something that is probably a question best directed to the Department of
Homeland Security at one of their briefings, when you're looking at some
of these issues. But I don't think we're ruling things out at this point,
I mean, in terms of any area. In terms of requests from -- or in terms of
assistance from other nations, as I just indicated earlier today, we are
open to all offers of assistance from other nations and --
Q Is that a request? Would you put that into a form of a request?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- I would expect we would take people up on offers of
assistance when it's necessary.
Q So that is a request? You are requesting international aid?
MR. McCLELLAN: No. I mean, I think that a lot of nations have offered
assistance. I don't know of any particular request that I have to update
you on at this point. And the point I think I'm making is that we're not
ruling things out, so whenever you're looking at any area to help with the
response and recovery efforts, you always want to consider all your
options that are available.
And so I don't know -- the President talked earlier today when he was
asked about -- I think it was about Saudi Arabia, and he said he was
confident Saudi Arabia would provide what assistance they could when it
came to the energy supply. But of course, he talked about how their
capacity was limited. There are a lot of ways people can help. And
certainly, we're going to look at those offers and take people up on those
offers, I would expect.
Q Isn't the time, though, now in terms of getting people out alive, maybe
getting rescuers in, whereas in some days' time it may only be money or
body recovery?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry, as in --
Q The time now to request international aid, international --
MR. McCLELLAN: There's a lot of assistance coming in. And I think some
have offered already offered assistance in different ways, so I don't
think that the way you characterize it is necessarily the way I would look
at it.
Q Scott, I know that it's fairly early in the fact-finding department, but
what's the best guess on when there might be a ballpark figure on how much
this might cost in terms of the supplemental budget request?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's something we continue to work on, and we continue to
assess what those needs. Obviously, as the damage and devastation is
assessed by people on the ground, then that helps you come to a better,
more precise estimate of that.
Q On a related point, motorists around the country are now in many places
paying more than $3 a gallon for gasoline. Most analysts expect that to
remain the case for days and weeks to come. Are we going to hear anything
from the President on asking Americans to do what they can to conserve?
MR. McCLELLAN: You heard from him earlier today. The President indicated
that where people can they should conserve. And he talked about the steps
we're taking to address the issue of high gas prices and a shortage of
supply, that it has led to an increase in gas prices. And that's why the
Department of Energy is making loans available to help address some of
that shortage, making loans from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
available. That's why the EPA issued the waiver when it came to certain
fuels so that that could help address some of the shortage.
That's why the President made it very clear in the meeting yesterday, and
made it very clear today, as well, that we will not tolerate
price-gouging. We will not tolerate insurance fraud and things of that
nature, and the Department of Energy has a website available for people to
report instances of price-gouging and things of that nature.
Go ahead, Les.
Q Scott, two questions. First, in the problem of looting, what is the
President's reaction to the 1968 statement of Philadelphia's Frank Rizzo
that "all looters would be shot," and then three looters were shot, and
the looting in Philadelphia stopped?
MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I haven't discussed that with him in the midst of all
the response and recovery efforts that are ongoing with Katrina.
Q Looting is a problem.
MR. McCLELLAN: Looting will not be tolerated. The President made that
clear that it should be zero tolerance when it comes to looters. And
that's why we are in close communication with Governor Blanco and other
officials in Louisiana to address the law enforcement and security
concerns on the ground in New Orleans. And that's why you have National
Guard deployed there, additional National Guard going in there to help
address some of the security concerns.
There are many, many instances of neighbor helping neighbor during this
time. And I don't think that can be lost either. We've seen the looting on
our TV screens, and it's a terrible sight to see some of the violence and
the looting that is going on during this difficult and trying time. But
there are also many instances where people are helping one another. People
are reaching out to their neighbors to evacuate them, or get them safe
locations, or provide them with food and water. And I don't think that the
many acts of compassion and kindness should be lost in this discussion
either.
Q The new President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been identified by
at least five former U.S. --
MR. McCLELLAN: Tell you what, let me stick on the hurricane.
Q Yes.
Q Thank you.
MR. McCLELLAN: If we have time, I'll be glad to come back to that.
John, go ahead.
Q Okay. In November of 1997, the then Mayor of Omaha, after his city was
hit with a massive snow storm, the biggest in history, declined federal
aid and emergency relief. Did any of the three governors the President
talked to in the area say they could do it on their own, or did they push
for federal disaster relief?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think more -- no, I think more of the -- well, they all
made requests. I mean, we were in close communication with them, with --
leading up to --
Q So it originated with the governors.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I wouldn't say that. We were in close communication
with them. I think it was in concert with those officials. And we stayed
in close communication with those governors to make sure that needs are
prioritized and that resources are prioritized, that federal resources are
prioritized and that -- along with those state and local ones so that we
can make sure we're covering all the different areas that need to be
covered.
Q So let me get it straight. None of the three --
MR. McCLELLAN: As best we can, I should say.
Q Sure. None of the three governors said they did not want the federal
assistance and could handle it on their own?
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't heard anything like that. I think we worked in
concert with those governors to issue those disaster declarations ahead of
time, and so that we could preposition a lot of resources on the ground.
Richard, go ahead.
Q Has the President received any personal phone calls from foreign leaders
offering assistance --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he's received condolences calls, and those leaders
have offered their support and assistance. But it's been general. I mean,
these have been brief calls.
Q --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, yesterday, he spoke with King Abdullah and this
morning, he spoke with Prime Minister Martin of Canada.
Q They called him?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes. Those were calls he took from --
Q --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- he took from those leaders. Well, he's -- he stays in
touch with leaders like Prime Minister Blair on a regular basis, too, but
those aren't conversations that we get into. You know, there are many
governments that have expressed their condolences and offered their
assistance through the Department -- through their embassies or through
the Department of State. And the State Department mentioned some of those,
and I expect they'll probably be giving you an update today on that, as
well.
Peter.
Q Scott, thanks. Two questions on this conservation issue. You say where
people can conserve, they should conserve. Do you expect anything stronger
from the administration, given what the situation is, any stronger
statement than that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we're continuing to assess things. There's the
short-term issue of the shortage of gas supply, and I think part of that
depends on the ability to address some of these issues in other ways, as
well. But these are issues that we continue to look at.
And in terms of the energy supply, there -- as I mentioned earlier today,
there are a number of refineries that are down. There are several
pipelines that were down. Some of those pipelines, it is my understanding,
are back online, to some extent at least. And they're working to get some
of the others back online, as well. So it's something we're continually
assessing, and that's what we're doing.
Q What order has the President or the Energy Secretary or anyone else in
authority issued in terms of government conservation? The government has
one of the biggest --
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, as I said, this is just a matter of a couple of days
after the hurricane hit, and these are all issues that we are looking at.
Q So there's no order for cars that idle here, and that sort of thing?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there's a Homeland Security briefing, too, and they
will keep you updated on activities going on. But again, in any area --
I'm not talking about any specific area, but in any area -- we're not
ruling things out. We're looking at what needs to be done to address
problems. The people in the region want their leaders here to solve the
problems that are occurring.
This is a hurricane that not only affected the region, but it had a
national impact, as well. It had a national impact on the gas supply. And
it has -- it created at least a short-term shortage of supply. And that's
something that -- one of the problems that we're working to address, and
that's why we've taken the steps that we have, and we will, obviously, be
continuing to keep you posted as we move forward.
Go ahead.
Q Is there a concern this disaster poses a national security threat?
Terrorists or people could come across the border now amidst this chaos to
move northward and do something bad?
MR. McCLELLAN: Obviously, we have people working around the clock to
address threats, terrorist threats, on the homeland. Obviously, the best
way to prevent attacks from happening on the homeland is to stay on the
offensive, and that's what we're doing. Those are questions you might want
to direct to the Department of Homeland Security if they have anything
else to update you on. Our focus has been on the response and recovery
efforts from here. I don't have anything -- I don't have anything to
update you on.
Q --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, at least in parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, there
has been declarations of Marshal Law in certain areas.
Ken, go ahead.
Q Scott, you said on energy, you're not ruling things out. Are price
controls on gasoline among the things you're not ruling out?
MR. McCLELLAN: The steps that we're taking -- or the steps that the
President said that we're taking at this point, and those are the ones
that I've heard discussed at this point.
Q Are price controls ruled out?
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't -- Ken, in terms of the options that are -- that
we're pursuing, they're the ones that we have announced. If there are any
additional steps that we take, I'll be glad to talk to you about that at
this point. But I think you have to look at how we're working to address
the supply in terms of energy. And that's why we've taken steps through
the Department of Energy with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, that's why
the waiver -- we've taken action with the waiver through the EPA. It's not
something I've heard discussed at this point.
Go ahead.
Q Scott, some in small towns in the affected hurricane areas, like
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, are telling national organizations that they've
been told it will be months before anyone can come into their towns and
help. Now is there any equitable approach to getting help to those small
affected communities?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know if it's months before they can come in to give
them help. I know that there's been -- I've seen reports about months
before people can return to their homes. But regardless, as I said, we're
working very closely with the state and local authorities to address the
needs of the people who have been affected.
Q Do you know anything about how small towns have being responded to
versus a larger community?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think in terms -- those are operational details that are
probably are best provided either by the briefings held on the ground in
Baton Rouge by FEMA or the briefings by the Department of Homeland
Security.
Q And second, Scott, one more. This is hurricane season -- we're still in
hurricane season. What is this administration doing to help prevent the
type of devastation we're seeing now --
MR. McCLELLAN: It's a very good point. We still are in hurricane season,
and you will remember last year that there were a number of hurricanes
that hit -- well, four, I recall, that hit Florida. And so there -- we
have to keep that in mind and continue preparing for the possibility of
additional hurricanes that could hit the United States. And we have people
that are focused on that.
Q Scott?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.
Q Scott, the Louisiana Governor yesterday declared or proclaimed a day of
prayer in her state. Has the President discussed any idea of doing that on
a national basis?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, as I mentioned, our hearts and prayers continue to go
out to people in the region. The President has said on behalf of the
nation, we appreciate all those who are offering their prayers to the
people in the region. And in terms of any updates, I don't have anything
else to update you on besides that.
Jessica, go ahead.
Q Scott, since the briefing started, I've gotten a number of emails from
people saying that correspondents who've been in Baghdad and New Orleans
say Baghdad feels safer to operate in; people saying that it's absolute
chaos in the streets; message boards on the Internet are going crazy.
They're frustrated that you're deflecting this to FEMA. Is the White House
properly, adequately concerned? And can you tell us --
MR. McCLELLAN: Deflecting what to FEMA?
Q You're deflecting all specifics to the FEMA briefing.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm not. I've given you some updates, but they are the
ones who are in charge of operational aspects on the ground. And the
Department of Homeland Security is in charge of the operational aspects
from Washington, D.C. And they're pulling together officials that will
have the most updated information to you. So your characterization is just
wrong, Jessica.
Q Why have helicopters stopped flying over New Orleans?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, the people on the ground will be able to provide you
with the latest information on that. As I would with any engagement abroad
in terms of operational activities, as you mentioned, with the military,
the people who are in the best position to give you those updates are the
ones who are overseeing the operational activities. That is being done by
the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, and it's being done by
FEMA on the ground in the region. So that information is being provided to
you all.
Q Thank you.
MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you.
END 1:11 P.M. EDT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050901-2.html