English subtitles for clip: File:2009-08-29 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv

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The President: This weekend marks
the fourth anniversary of Hurricane

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Katrina's devastation
of the Gulf Coast.

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As we remember
all that was lost,

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we must take stock of the
work being done on recovery,

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while preparing for
future disasters.

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That's what I want to
speak with you about today.

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None of us can forget how we
felt when those winds battered

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the shore, the
floodwaters began to rise,

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and Americans were stranded
on rooftops and in stadiums.

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Over a thousand people
would lose their lives.

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Over a million people
were displaced.

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Whole neighborhoods of a great
American city were left in ruins.

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Communities across the Gulf
Coast were forever changed.

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And many Americans questioned
whether government could fulfill

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its responsibilities
to respond in a crisis,

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or contribute to a recovery that
covered parts of four states.

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Since taking office in January,
my Administration has focused on

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helping citizens finish the work
of rebuilding their lives and

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communities, while taking steps
to prevent similar catastrophes

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going forward.

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Our approach is simple:
government must keep its

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responsibility to the people,
so that Americans have the

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opportunity to take responsibility
for their own future.

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That's the work
that we're doing.

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To date, eleven members of my
Cabinet have visited the Gulf

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Coast, and I'm looking forward
to going to New Orleans later this year.

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To complete a complex recovery
that addresses nearly every

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sector of society, we've
prioritized coordination among

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different federal agencies,
and with state and local governments.

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No more turf wars -- all of us need
to move forward together,

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because there's much
more work to be done.

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I've also made it clear that we will
not tolerate the red tape

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that stands in the
way of progress,

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or the waste that can
drive up the bill.

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Government must be a partner
-- not an opponent --

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in getting things done.

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That's why we've put in place
innovative review and dispute

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resolution programs to
expedite recovery efforts,

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and have freed up hundreds of
millions of dollars of federal

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assistance that had
not been distributed.

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This is also allowing us to move
forward with stalled projects

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across the Gulf Coast --
building and improving schools;

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investing in public
health and safety;

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and repairing broken
roads, bridges and homes.

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And this effort has been
dramatically amplified by the

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Recovery Act, which has
put thousands of Gulf Coast

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residents to work.

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As we complete this effort,
we see countless stories of

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citizens holding up
their end of the bargain.

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In New Orleans, hundreds of kids
just started the school year at

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Langston Hughes elementary, the
first school built from scratch

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since Katrina.

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The St. Bernard Project has
drawn together volunteers to

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rebuild hundreds of homes, where
people can live with dignity and security.

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To cite just one
hopeful indicator,

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New Orleans is the fastest
growing city in America,

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as many who've been
displaced are now coming home.

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As we rebuild and recover, we
must also learn the lessons of

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Katrina, so that our nation is
more protected and resilient in

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the face of disaster.

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That means continuing to rebuild
hundreds of miles of levees and

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floodwalls around New Orleans,
and working to strengthen the

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wetlands and barrier islands
that are the Gulf Coast's first

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line of defense.

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In Washington, that means
a focus on competence and

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accountability -- and I'm proud
that my FEMA Administrator has

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25 years of experience
in disaster management in Florida,

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a state that has known
its share of hurricanes.

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And across the country, that
means improving coordination

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among different agencies,
modernizing our emergency

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communications, and helping
families plan for a crisis.

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On this anniversary, we are
focused on the threat from hurricanes.

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But we must also be prepared
for a broad range of dangers --

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from wildfires to earthquakes,
to terrorist attacks and

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pandemic disease.

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In particular, my Administration
is working aggressively with

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state and local governments --
and with partners around the

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world -- to prepare for the
risk posed by the H1N1 virus.

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To learn more about the simple
steps that you can take to keep

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you and your family safe
from all of these dangers,

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please visit www.ready.gov.

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So on this day, we commemorate a
tragedy that befell our people.

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But we also remember that with
every tragedy comes the chance

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of renewal.

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It's a quintessentially
American notion --

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that adversity can
give birth to hope,

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and that the lessons of the past
hold the key to a better future.

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From the streets of New Orleans
to the Mississippi Coast,

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folks are beginning the next
chapter in their American stories.

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And together, we can ensure that
the legacy of a terrible storm

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is a country that is safer and
more prepared for the challenges

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that may come.

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Thank you.