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Category: News and Politics
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENTAT THE CLOSING OF THE TRIBAL NATIONS CONFERENCE
November 5, 2009
Location:
Department of Interior
Washington, D.C.
5:02 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody have a seat. Let me first of all just
thank Ken and the entire Department of the Interior staff for
organizing just an extraordinary conference. I want to thank my Cabinet
members and senior administration officials who participated today. I
hear that Dr. Joe Medicine Crow was around, and so I want to give a
shout-out to that Congressional Medal of Honor* winner. It's good to
see you. (Applause.)
My understanding is, is that you had an extremely productive
conference. I want to thank all of you for coming and for your efforts,
and I want to give you my solemn guarantee that this is not the end of
a process but a beginning of a process, and that we are going to follow
up. (Applause.) We are going to follow up. Every single member of my
team understands that this is a top priority for us. I want you to know
that, as I said this morning, this is not something that we just give
lip service to. And we are going to keep on working with you to make
sure that the first Americans get the best possible chances in life in
a way that's consistent with your extraordinary traditions and culture
and values.
Now, I have to say, though, that beyond that, I plan to make some
broader remarks about the challenges that lay ahead for Native
Americans, as well as collaboration with our administration, but as
some of you might have heard, there has been a tragic shooting at the
Fort Hood Army base in Texas. We don't yet know all the details at this
moment; we will share them as we get them. What we do know is that a
number of American soldiers have been killed, and even more have been
wounded in a horrific outburst of violence.
My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and with the
families of the fallen, and with those who live and serve at Fort Hood.
These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous
decision to risk and at times give their lives to protect the rest of
us on a daily basis. It's difficult enough when we lose these brave
Americans in battles overseas. It is horrifying that they should come
under fire at an Army base on American soil.
I've spoken to Secretary Gates and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and I will continue to receive a constant
stream of updates as new information comes in. We are working with the
Pentagon, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security, all to
ensure that Fort Hood is secure, and we will continue to support the
community with the full resources of the federal government.
In the meantime, I would ask all Americans to keep the men and women of
Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers. We will make sure that we get
answers to every single question about this horrible incident. And I
want all of you to know that as Commander-in-Chief, there's no greater
honor but also no greater responsibility for me than to make sure that
the extraordinary men and women in uniform are properly cared for and
that their safety and security when they are at home is provided for.
So we are going to stay on this. But I hope in the meantime that all of
you recognize the scope of this tragedy, and keep everybody in their
thoughts and prayers.
Again, thank you for your participation here today. I am confident that
this is going to be resulting in terrific work between this government
and your governments in the weeks, the months, and years to come. God
bless you, and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
END 5:08 P.M. EST
*President Medal of Freedom
5:55 PM
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