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323152005
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Los Angeles Arrival 5/6/92 [OA 6102]
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323152005
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Los Angeles Arrival 5/6/92 [OA 6102]
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13621-003
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Draft Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13621
Folder ID Number:
13621-003
Folder Title:
Los Angeles Arrival 5/6/92 [OA 6102]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
26
18
2
1
ARRIVAL IN LOS ANGELES \ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1992 \ 8:50 P.M.
I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE IN Los ANGELES -- AND I AM
THANKFUL TO SEE THAT CALM HAS RETURNED TO THIS CITY. /
As I THINK BACK TODAY TO WHAT I SAID LAST FRIDAY, I
THINK OF THE OATH I TOOK THE DAY I ENTERED OFFICE --
THE CONSTITUTION'S CHARGE TO EVERY PRESIDENT TO "ENSURE
DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY." THIS I KNOW: WE CAN NEVER
CONDONE VIOLENCE -- BECAUSE WITHOUT PEACE, THERE CAN BE
NO HOPE. //
- 2 -
WE CANNOT BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD -- WE COULD NOT
BEGIN TO REBUILD -- UNTIL THE VIOLENCE HAD BEEN
STOPPED, AND ORDER RESTORED. WE'VE MET THAT FIRST
MISSION -- AND NOW, THE GOOD PEOPLE OF SOUTH CENTRAL
L.A. ARE FREE TO COME OUT FROM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS --
TO BEGIN THE DIFFICULT PROCESS OF REBUILDING THIS CITY,
OF RESTORING HOPE.
- 3 -
Tomorrow, I WILL MEET WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND
WITH THE CITIZENS OF Los ANGELES, TO SEE AND SPEAK WITH
THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF LAST
WEEK'S TRAGIC EVENTS.
I WILL ASSURE THEM -- AS I CAN ASSURE ALL THE
CITIZENS OF Los ANGELES: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
COMMITTED TO HELP THIS CITY REBUILD. LET ME FOCUS FOR
A MOMENT ON THE ACTIONS WE'RE TAKING AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL TO HELP.
- 4 -
THROUGH MY PRESIDENTIAL DISASTER DECLARATION,
FEMA -- THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY -- WILL
MAKE AN ESTIMATED $300 MILLION DOLLARS IN ASSISTANCE
AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN THE CITY AND
COUNTY OF Los ANGELES.
WE WILL MAKE GRANTS DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE HIT HARDEST
BY THE VIOLENCE -- PERSONAL GRANTS UP TO $11,500 TO
MEET URGENT NEEDS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING AND MEDICINE.
- 5 -
THESE GRANTS WILL ALSO HELP WITH TEMPORARY HOUSING --
MONEY FOR REPAIR TO HOMES WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE, AND TO
PROVIDE SHELTER FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR
HOMES. WE'RE ALSO HELPING WITH CRISIS COUNSELING AND
DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOW
WITHOUT JOBS AS A RESULT OF THE DISASTER.
6 I R
A DISASTER FIELD OFFICE IS ALREADY UP AND RUNNING,
AND FEMA's 800 ASSISTANCE NUMBER IS READY RIGHT NOW TO
RECEIVE CALLS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, CHINESE, THAI,
KOREAN, VIETNAMESE AND LAOTIAN.
IN ADDITION, FEMA WILL ASSIST THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN
REPAIRING AND RESTORING PUBLIC UTILITIES -- LIKE WATER
AND ELECTRICITY -- ESSENTIAL TO EVERY DAY LIFE.
- 7 -
BEYOND THESE EMERGENCY GRANTS, WE WILL PROVIDE LOW-
INTEREST SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DISASTER LOANS
-- UP TO $500,000 FOR PHYSICAL DAMAGE AND LOST
INVENTORY. HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE
FOR ASSISTANCE UNDER SBA PROGRAMS UP TO $100,000 FOR
DAMAGES AND LOSSES. PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES INDICATE
THAT ROUGHLY $300 MILLION IN LOANS WILL BE MADE IN THE
Los ANGELES AREA.
- 8 -
ALL TOLD, FEDERAL AID TO SPEED THE RECOVERY PROCESS
WILL TOTAL APPROXIMATELY $600 MILLION. THIS ASSISTANCE
WILL HELP GET BOARDED-UP AND BURNED OUT BUSINESSES OPEN
AGAIN -- UP AND RUNNING; IT WILL HELP PEOPLE CLEAN UP
THE STREETS; HELP THE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO'VE
LOST THEIR HOMES AND THEIR BELONGINGS TO COPE WITH THIS
MOST PERSONAL OF TRAGEDIES.
- 9 -
FINALLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS ARRANGED
FOR DELIVERY OF OVER 2,000 CASES OF RICE CEREAL; OVER
2,000 CASES OF INFANT FORMULA; NEARLY 250 CASES OF NON-
FAT DRY MILK -- AND CONTINUES TO ASSESS EMERGENCY FOOD
NEEDS.
THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING. THE URGENT NEED FOR
ASSISTANCE MUST NOT OBSCURE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE LARGER
CHALLENGE WE FACE. BEYOND THESE SHORT-TERM ACTIONS, WE
MUST BRING HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY TO OUR INNER CITIES.
- 10 -
OUR AIM MUST NOT SIMPLY BE TO RECREATE WHAT WE HAD --
BUT TO BUILD SOMETHING BETTER IN ITS PLACE. THERE MUST
BE NO RETURN TO THE STATUS QUO. Too OFTEN IN THE PAST,
WE'VE MEASURED OUR COMPASSION THE WRONG WAY -- BY
BUDGETS AND BUREAUCRACIES -- INSTEAD OF BY HOW MANY
POOR PEOPLE HAVE PERMANENTLY ESCAPED POVERTY. THIS
MUST END.
- 11 -
THERE IS NO QUESTION THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS AN
IMPORTANT AND FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN ENDING POVERTY AND
DESPAIR IN OUR INNER CITIES. BUT THE TIME HAS COME TO
TRY A NEW WAY. WE MUST START WITH A SET OF
PRINCIPLES -- PRINCIPLES THAT GIVE THE WORD OPPORTUNITY
REAL MEANING. THEY ARE GROUNDED IN COMMON SENSE:
ORDER IS BETTER THAN DISORDER. TOLERANCE IS BETTER
THAN INTOLERANCE. WORK IS BETTER THAN WELFARE.
OWNERSHIP IS BETTER THAN TENANCY.
- 12 -
OPPORTUNITY IS BETTER THAN ENTITLEMENT. INDEPENDENCE
IS BETTER THAN DEPENDENCE. AND TRADITIONAL FAMILY
VALUES ARE BETTER THAN THE DEADLY COMBINATION OF MORAL
RELATIVISM AND GOVERNMENT PATERNALISM. WE NEED TO LET
POOR FAMILIES TAKE BACK CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES -- BY
MAKING OUR COMMITMENT TO END POVERTY AND DESPAIR
GREATER THAN EVER.
- 13 -
THIS TIME, WE MUST MAKE CERTAIN TO PUT THE
GOVERNMENT ON THE SIDE OF OPPORTUNITY -- ON THE SIDE OF
HUMAN DIGNITY, ON THE SIDE OF HOPE. ANYTHING LESS
WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF Los ANGELES WHO
NEED OUR HELP. ANYTHING LESS WOULD BE UNWORTHY OF OUR
GREAT NATION. //
IN FIVE SHORT DAYS, Los ANGELES HAS MADE GREAT
STRIDES. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DESERVE THANKS RUNS
INTO THE TENS OF THOUSANDS.
- 14 -
THE FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS, WHO WORKED HOURS
ON END. THE THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS. THE CHURCHES AND
CHURCHGOERS - THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS. THE MANY
PEOPLE -- KNOWN AND UNKNOWN -- WHO CAME TO THE AID OF
PEOPLE IN NEED, WHO STEPPED FORWARD TO STOP THE
VIOLENCE -- TO SAVE A LIFE.
- 15 -
LET ME SAY SOMETHING -- SOMETHING I PROMISED MYSELF
I'D SAY THE MOMENT I GOT HERE -- TO EVERY ONE OF THE
PEOPLE WHO REACHED OUT, ACROSS THE BARRIERS OF COLOR,
AND PUT THEIR OWN SAFETY AT RISK TO HELP OTHERS. THANK
GOD FOR WHAT YOU DID. You DID MORE THAN SIMPLY SAVE A
LIFE -- YOU GAVE A NATION CAUSE FOR HOPE. AND YOU
PROVED, AMIDST THE HATE AND THE HORROR, THAT THIS IS
STILL THE CITY OF ANGELS.
- 16 -
THANK YOU -- AND MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
# # #
WHITE HOUSE COMMCTR
THU 07 MAY 92 03:05
PG.01
. 3 -
Through the Presidential Disaster declaration,
FEMA will make assistance available to those
hit hardest by the violence. A preliminary
estimate of this assistance is approximately
$300 million.
Tomorrow, disaster application centers will open
in seven locations in Los Angeles County to
begin the disaster assistance process.
Individuals, families and businesses directly
affected can visit any of these centers to apply
for aid from a variety of federal and state
agencies.
- 4 -
damage. disaster loans for business losses and home
The SBA is also making available low-interest
million. surrounding areas may total as much as $600
All told, federal aid to Los Angeles and the
causes secretaries to look Into the underlying my able
Cabinet And finally, I have asked several of
of this tragic event.
WHITE HOUSE COMMCTR
THU 07 MAY 92 03:05
PG.02
- 5 -
O
We've got some very good, comprehensive
proposals that are being considered now.
When they are announced, I hope they will
receive your enthusiastic support.
o
I believe the federal government is playing a
crucial and positive role in rebuilding South
Central Los Angeles.
0
Your comments and suggestions are critical as
we chart this course.