Excerpts of the President’s Town Hall Meeting
University of New Orleans
2009-10-16
New Orleans, Louisiana

It's always an inspiration to spend time with men and women who have reminded the rest of America what it means to persevere in the face of tragedy, to rebuild in the face of ruin.  And Katrina may have swept through the city, but it did not destroy this community, and that is because of you -- the people of New Orleans.  (Applause.)

It has now been just over four years since that terrible storm struck your shores.  And in the days after it did, this nation and all the world bore witness to the fact that the damage from Katrina was not caused just by a disaster of nature, but also by a breakdown of government -- (applause) -- the government wasn't adequately prepared and we didn't adequately respond.

Now, I saw the consequences of this failure during my visit here as a senator and then as a candidate for President.  So when I took office as President, one of the first things I did was tell my Cabinet and senior staff that our Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts and our disaster response efforts were going to be top priorities for this White House.  I wanted to get it right and I wanted us to be ready.

And so far, I'm pleased to report that we've made good progress.  We've got a long way to go, but we've made progress.  (Applause.)  Over the last nine months, we have sent more Cabinet members to this region than almost anywhere in the country -- not just to make appearances, but to listen, and to learn, and help you move forward.  As we've continued this recovery effort, I've made it clear that we're not going to tolerate the usual turf wars between agencies.  So we've prioritized coordination between all levels of government.  We put in place innovative review and dispute resolution programs to get projects moving forward quickly.  We've freed up over $1.5 billion in recovery and rebuilding assistance that had been tangled up in red tape for years.

And this assistance is allowing us to move forward together with projects that were stalled across the Gulf Coast -- projects rebuilding and improving schools; investing in public health and safety; repairing broken roads and bridges and buildings.  And this effort has been dramatically amplified by the Recovery Act, which has put thousands of Gulf Coast residents back to work.

On the housing front, we're tackling the corruption and inefficiency that plagued the New Orleans Housing Authority for years.  (Applause.)  We've also been able to dramatically cut the number of people who are still in emergency housing.  We're moving forward -- we're moving families towards self-sufficiency by helping homeowners rebuild and helping renters find affordable options.

On the education front, I just visited Martin Luther King Charter School, the first school to reopen in the Ninth Ward and an inspiration for this city.  (Applause.)  We've also worked to be a better partner and free up funding that has allowed places like this university right here, the University of New Orleans and -- (applause) -- and the Southern University of New Orleans to rebuild.  (Applause.)  We're looking for ways to be more flexible, so New Orleans can build the school system it deserves.  And because a lot of your public schools opened themselves up to new ideas and innovative reforms, we're actually seeing an improvement in overall achievement that is making the city a model for reform nationwide.  That is good news, thanks to the hard work being done right here in New Orleans.  (Applause.)

When it comes to health care, we've invested in supporting health centers, and recruiting more primary care providers and nurses and other medical professionals to fill the shortage left by Katrina.  We remain committed to building a new VA medical center in downtown New Orleans so we can better serve and care for our veterans.  (Applause.)  And to help fight crime, we're helping to hire cops and rebuild jails.

So that's what we're doing in terms of rebuilding and recovery.  But we're also focusing on preparedness and response so that history does not repeat itself.  We are committed to making sure that a disaster like Katrina does not happen again.  (Applause.)  And that means in Washington, a focus on competence and accountability.  And I'm proud that my FEMA Director, Craig Fugate, has 25 years of experience in disaster management in Florida, a state that's known its share of hurricanes.  And I think Republicans and Democrats will testify to his skill and experience.  (Applause.)

We have put together a group led by Shaun Donovan and Janet Napolitano to study disaster recovery across the country, to figure out how to do it better.  Across the country, we're improving coordination among different agencies, we're modernizing our emergency communications, we're helping families plan for a crisis.

And here on the Gulf Coast, we're working to make sure this region is protected in the event of a 100-year storm.  We've already seen 220 miles worth of levees and flood walls repaired, and we are working to strengthen the wetlands and barrier islands that are the first line of defense for the Gulf Coast.  (Applause.)  This isn't just critical to this region's physical protection, it's critical to our environment, it's critical to our economy.  That's why we're establishing an interagency working group that will be responsible for coordinating our restoration efforts across the Gulf at all levels of government.

Now, even with all the action we've taken and all the progress we've made, we know how much work is left to be done.  Whether you're driving through New Orleans, Biloxi, or the southern part of Louisiana, it's clear how far we have to go before we can call this recovery a real success.  There are sewers and roads still to repair.  There are houses and hospitals still vacant.  There are schools and neighborhoods still waiting to thrive once more.  And so I promise you this -- whether it's me coming down here or my Cabinet or other members of my administration -- we will not forget about New Orleans.  We are going to keep on working.  (Applause.)  We are not going to forget about the Gulf Coast.  Together, we will rebuild this region and we will rebuild it stronger than before.  It is going to be stronger than before.  (Applause.)

I know that for a lot of you, the questions and concerns you have aren't limited to the recovery act and the efforts that have taken place here on the Gulf.  You're also wondering about the recovery effort that's taking place throughout America.  Because an economic storm hit about nine months ago, ten months ago, that caused this recession that is as bad as anything we've seen since the Great Depression.  Obviously it hasn't left behind the death and destruction that Katrina and Rita left behind, but it's caused incredible pain and hardship for communities all across this country -- communities that have seen too many jobs disappear, too many businesses close, too many middle-class families who are just barely making it.

These families are the backbone of America -- they're the ones who built this country, and made it great -- you -- and keep this country going each and every day.  And so you deserve leaders in Washington who are willing to work as hard as you work; who are willing to fight for your futures.

And that's why our goal is not just to rebound from this recession.  It's to build an America that works for everybody; where everyone who's looking for work can find a job -- (applause) -- not just a temporary job, but a permanent job that lasts from year to year, season to season.  We want an economy where our stock market is not only rising again but our businesses are hiring again, and people's incomes are going up again.  (Applause.)  We're not going to rest until we get there.

Now, the Recovery Act we passed earlier this year has helped stop the bleeding; everybody agrees on that.  It's put tax cuts in the pockets of working families and small businesses.  It extended unemployment insurance and health insurance to people who've been laid off.  It saved or created hundreds of thousands of jobs in the private sector.  And it made sure that teachers weren't being laid off and police officers weren't being laid off in states that were hemorrhaging because of lost tax revenue.

But the Recovery Act is just the start.  If we want a recovery the lasts, if we want an economy that really grows again, we've got to rebuild stronger than before -- just like you're doing here in New Orleans.  We need to come together and meet the challenges that were with us before this recession hit.  Schools that weren't closing before the recession.  That means building a clean energy economy that can lead to millions of new jobs and new industries.  (Applause.)  That means building an education system that equips every citizen with the skills and training they need to compete with any worker in the world.  (Applause.)  That means building a health care system that finally offers security to those who have insurance and affordable options to those who don't.  (Applause.)

And let me say -- we're going to get it done.  We're going to get it done.  Too many Americans -- too many Americans have waited too long for this to happen.  We are going to pass health care reform by the end of this year with the help of Mary Landrieu, with the help of Charlie Melancon, maybe with the help of Joe Chao -- we're going to get health care done this year.  (Applause.)

Now, just in case any of you were wondering, I never thought any of this was going to be easy.  (Laughter.)  You know, I listen to -- sometimes -- these reporters on the news, "Well, why haven't you solved world hunger yet?"  (Laughter.)  "Why -- it's been nine months.  Why --?"  You know?  I never said it was going to be easy.

What did I say during the campaign?  I said is change is hard.  And big change is harder.  And after the last nine months, you know I wasn't kidding.  (Laughter.)  I wasn't kidding about it being hard.  But you notice I wasn't kidding -- I don't quit.  We get this stuff done.  We keep on going until we get it done.  I don't quit.  (Applause.)  Let me tell you, those folks who are trying to stand in the way of progress?  They're all -- let me tell you, I'm just getting started.  I don't quit.  (Applause.)  I'm not tired.  I'm just getting started.  I'm just getting started.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Yes we can!  Yes we can!  Yes we can!