pd05no01 Remarks Following a Meeting With the Secretary of the Treasury and the...

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military to dismantle Taliban defenses, use our military to destroy Al 
Qaida training bases, and to work with troops that now exist on the 
ground to fulfill our mission. And I am pleased with the progress we're 
making.
    And I'm really pleased with the fact that the American people are 
patient. They realize this is a war the likes of which they have never 
seen before. And therefore, they are rooting on their Government and the 
men and women who wear the uniform. They understand that it's going to 
take a while to achieve our objective, and I appreciate that patience.
    Steve.

Immigration Policy

    Q. Sir, since so many of the hijackers were in the country legally, 
do you plan to crack down on student visas or political asylum cases, 
things of that sort?
    The President. Well, we plan on making sure that if a person has 
applied for a student visa, they actually go to college or a university. 
And therefore, we're going to start asking a lot of questions that 
heretofore have not been asked.
    We're going to tighten up the visa policy. That's not to say that 
we're not going to let people come into our country; of course we are. 
But we're going to make sure that when somebody comes, we understand 
their intended purpose and that they fulfill the purpose that they--on 
their application.
    You bring up a very good point, Steve, and that is that sometimes 
people come here with no intention to fulfill their purpose. And when we 
find those, they will be escorted out of the United States.

Domestic Response to Terrorists

    Q. Mr. President, a couple of weeks ago the FBI issued an alert 
indicating that within several days the country could be attacked by 
terrorists again. Does the Government still believe and have information 
to support the notion that Usama bin Laden is planning a second wave of 
attacks, and do you believe that all of the resources now dedicated to 
the anthrax situation reduce the country's level of preparedness?
    The President. We believe that the country must stay on alert, that 
there is--that our enemies still hate us. Our enemies have no values 
that regard life as precious. They're active, and therefore, we're 
constantly in touch with our law enforcement officials to be prepared.
    Now, having said that, the American people must go about their 
lives. And I recognize it's a fine balance. But the American people

[[Page 1567]]

also understand that the object of any terrorist activity is to cause 
Americans to abandon their lifestyles. Every American is a soldier, and 
every citizen is in this fight. And I am proud of our country. Our 
country is united and strong, and we're prepared. We've got ample 
resources to fight the war on the homefront on many fronts. And part of 
our purpose for being here is to make sure that those resources are well 
organized and that fit into a strategy that this administration is 
designing.
    Stretch.

National Economy

    Q. We have some new consumer confidence numbers coming out tomorrow, 
so perhaps this would be a better question to ask then. But based on 
what you're hearing from all of the people in this room, what is your 
sense of the extent which the terrorist attacks, now the anthrax 
mailings, are having on the consumer? And is it your sense that people 
really are hunkering down, they're apprehensive, they're--are they 
finding it difficult to get back to their daily routines?
    The President. Well, I haven't seen the numbers, but my view of the 
mood of the country is, is that the country understands we've entered 
into a new period in our history, and that there is a--that lives are 
simply not going to be as normal as they were in the past, and that so 
long as there is terrorist activities in the world and directed toward 
our country, that people are going to have to be diligent and on guard. 
And they are.
    Now, having said that, the American people are very patient, and 
they appreciate the efforts of the Government, and they appreciate the 
efforts of our military. They understand better than most, better than 
the world, that this is going to take a long period of time, and they 
are prepared for this. They are prepared to wait in long lines at 
airports. They're prepared to support our military. They are prepared to 
support local law enforcement as local law enforcement works hard with 
Federal officials to disrupt any potential terrorist activities.
    And so, the mood of the country is certainly different from what it 
was on September the 10th, but I find the mood of the country to be 
incredibly refreshing and strong and powerful. It is a clear statement 
to anybody who would want to harm us that instead of weakening America, 
they have strengthened America.
    And how that--what that means to the economy, it means that the--it 
means that over time, our economy is going to be just as strong as the 
American spirit. And so I'm very optimistic about the economy. How long 
it will take to recover to the levels that we hope is just--is beyond my 
pay grade. But I can tell you that the people of this country are strong 
and resolute, and for that I am grateful and incredibly proud.
    Last question.

Immigration Policy

    Q. Mr. President, we understand this task force is to help tighten 
and close the loopholes in immigration laws. Why were these loopholes so 
vast, and why were they left for so long? And also, what do you say to 
the American public who is concerned about anti-American sentiment among 
Americans who may have helped these immigrants who came in and started 
September the 11th?
    The President. Well, first, I--you know, our country has been an 
incredibly generous country, the most generous country in the world. 
We're generous with our universities; we're generous with our job 
opportunities; we're generous with the--what a beautiful system it is, 
that if you come here and you work hard, you can achieve a dream.
    Never did we realize then that people would take advantage of our 
generosity to the extent they have. September the 11th taught us an 
interesting lesson, that while, by far, the vast majority of people who 
have come to America are really good, decent people, people that we're 
proud to have here, there are some who are evil. And our job now is to 
find the evil ones and to bring them to justice, to disrupt anybody who 
might have designs on hurting--further hurting Americans.
    The second part of your question? Sorry.

Domestic Support for Terrorists

    Q. The second part is about the Americans in this country who--some 
may have helped the terrorists.

[[Page 1568]]

    The President. I think Americans who unwittingly helped people that 
hurt Americans regret that now. Americans who are willingly participants 
and have plans to hurt America, they will be brought to justice. My 
judgment is, anybody who is a terrorist or helps a terrorist are equally 
culpable. And so, we're doing everything we can, obviously within the 
law.
    And we've got now a new law that will help us pursue those who would 
harm Americans and those who would help them harm Americans. People need 
to be held accountable in America, and we're going to do just that.
    Thank you all.

Note: The exchange began at 3:10 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, the President referred to Usama bin Laden, leader 
of the Al Qaida terrorist organization.


<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
 [frwais.access.gpo.gov]
                         

[Page 1568-1570]
 
Monday, November 5, 2001
 
Volume 37--Number 44
Pages 1561-1597
 
Week Ending Friday, November 2, 2001
 
Directive on Organization and Operation of the Homeland Security Council

October 29, 2001

 Homeland Security Presidential Directive-1

Subject: Organization and Operation of the Homeland Security Council

    This is the first in a series of Homeland Security Presidential 
Directives that shall record and communicate presidential decisions 
about the homeland security policies of the United States.

A. Homeland Security Council

    Securing Americans from terrorist threats or attacks is a critical 
national security function. It requires extensive coordination across a 
broad spectrum of Federal, State, and local agencies to reduce the 
potential for terrorist attacks and to mitigate damage should such an 
attack occur. The Homeland Security Council (HSC) shall ensure 
coordination of all homeland security-related activities among executive 
departments and agencies and promote the effective development and 
implementation of all homeland security policies.

B. The Homeland Security Council Principals Committee

    The HSC Principals Committee (HSC/PC) shall be the senior 
interagency forum under the HSC for homeland security issues. The HSC/PC 
is composed of the following members: the Secretary of the Treasury; the 
Secretary of Defense; the Attorney General; the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services; the Secretary of Transportation; the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget; the Assistant to the President for 
Homeland Security (who serves as Chairman); the Assistant to the 
President and Chief of Staff; the Director of Central Intelligence; the 
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Director of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency; and the Assistant to the President 
and Chief of Staff to the Vice President. The Assistant to the President 
for National Security Affairs shall be invited to attend all meetings of 
the HSC/PC. The following people shall be invited to HSC/PC meetings 
when issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are 
discussed: the Secretary of State; the Secretary of the Interior; the 
Secretary of Agriculture; the Secretary of Commerce; the Secretary of 
Labor; the Secretary of Energy; the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; and the Deputy 
National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism. The Counsel to the 
President shall be consulted regarding the agenda of HSC/PC meetings and 
shall attend any meeting when, in consultation with the Assistant to the 
President for Homeland Security, the Counsel deems it appropriate. The 
Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security shall serve as 
Executive Secretary of the HSC/PC. Other heads of departments and 
agencies and senior officials shall be invited, when appropriate.
    The HSC/PC shall meet at the call of the Assistant to the President 
for Homeland Security, in consultation with the regular attendees of the 
HSC/PC. The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security shall 
determine the agenda, in consultation with the regular attendees, and 
shall ensure that all necessary papers are prepared. When global 
terrorism with domestic implications

[[Page 1569]]

is on the agenda of the HSC/PC, the Assistant to the President for 
Homeland Security and the Assistant to the President for National 
Security Affairs shall perform these tasks in concert.

C. Homeland Security Council Deputies Committee

    The HSC Deputies Committee (HSC/DC) shall serve as the senior sub-
Cabinet interagency forum for consideration of policy issues affecting 
homeland security. The HSC/DC can task and review the work of the HSC 
interagency groups discussed below. The HSC/DC shall help ensure that 
issues brought before the HSC/PC or the HSC have been properly analyzed 
and prepared for action. The HSC/DC shall have the following as its 
regular members: the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury; the Deputy 
Secretary of Defense; the Deputy Attorney General; the Deputy Secretary 
of Health and Human Services; the Deputy Secretary of Transportation; 
the Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security (who serves as 
Chairman); the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence; the Deputy 
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Deputy Director of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency; the Deputy Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget; and the Assistant to the President and 
Chief of Staff to the Vice President. The Assistant to the President and 
Deputy National Security Advisor shall be invited to attend all meetings 
of the HSC/DC. The following people shall be invited to attend when 
issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be 
discussed: the Deputy Secretary of State; the Deputy Secretary of the 
Interior; the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; the Deputy Secretary of 
Commerce; the Deputy Secretary of Labor; the Deputy Secretary of Energy; 
the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the Deputy Administrator of 
the Environmental Protection Agency; the Deputy National Security 
Advisor for Combating Terrorism; and the Special Advisor to the 
President for Cyberspace Security. The Executive Secretary of the Office 
of Homeland Security shall serve as Executive Secretary of the HSC/DC. 
Other senior officials shall be invited, when appropriate.
    The HSC/DC shall meet at the call of its Chairman. Any regular 
member of the HSC/DC may request a meeting of the HSC/DC for prompt 
crisis management. For all meetings, the Chairman shall determine the 
agenda, in consultation with the regular members, and shall ensure that 
necessary papers are prepared.

D. Homeland Security Council Policy Coordination Committees

    HSC Policy Coordination Committees (HSC/PCCs) shall coordinate the 
development and implementation of homeland security policies by multiple 
departments and agencies through-out the Federal government, and shall 
coordinate those policies with State and local government. The HSC/PCCs 
shall be the main day-to-day fora for interagency coordination of 
homeland security policy. They shall provide policy analysis for 
consideration by the more senior committees of the HSC system and ensure 
timely responses to decisions made by the President. Each HSC/PCC shall 
include representatives from the executive departments, offices, and 
agencies represented in the HSC/DC.
    Eleven HSC/PCCs are hereby established for the following functional 
areas, each to be chaired by the designated Senior Director from the 
Office of Homeland Security:
 1.          Detection, Surveillance, and Intelligence (by the Senior 
            Director, Intelligence and Detection);
 2.          Plans, Training, Exercises, and Evaluation (by the Senior 
            Director, Policy and Plans);
 3.          Law Enforcement and Investigation (by the Senior Director, 
            Intelligence and Detection);
 4.          Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Consequence Management 
            (by the Senior Director, Response and Recovery);
 5.          Key Asset, Border, Territorial Waters, and Airspace 
            Security (by the Senior Director, Protection and 
            Prevention);
 6.          Domestic Transportation Security (by the Senior Director, 
            Protection and Prevention);
 7.          Research and Development (by the Senior Director, Research 
            and Development);

[[Page 1570]]

 8.          Medical and Public Health Preparedness (by the Senior 
            Director, Protection and Prevention);
 9.          Domestic Threat Response and Incident Management (by the 
            Senior Director, Response and Recovery);
 10.         Economic Consequences (by the Senior Director, Response and 
            Recovery); and
 11.         Public Affairs (by the Senior Director, Communications).
    Each HSC/PCC shall also have an Executive Secretary to be designated 
by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (from the staff 
of the HSC). The Executive Secretary of each HSC/PCC shall assist his or 
her Chair in scheduling the meetings of the HSC/PCC, determining the 
agenda, recording the actions taken and tasks assigned, and ensuring 
timely responses to the central policymaking committees of the HSC 
system. The Chairman of each HSC/PCC, in consultation with its Executive 
Secretary, may invite representatives of other executive departments and 
agencies to attend meetings of the HSC/PCC, when appropriate.
    The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, at the 

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