George H.W. Bush: “Are you going to say something, or do you want me to go ahead? Let me just say thank you to the community leaders…”

“Are you going to say something, or do you want me to go ahead? Let me just say thank you to the community leaders assembled here. And let me single out Mr. Lee for his hospitality not just to us today, to Secretary Sullivan, the Governor, Senator Seymour, Secretary Kemp, Pat Saiki of SBA, but to so many. This place has become not just a command center in times of turmoil, turmoil that every American regrets. This President, I'll tell you, my heart aches for those who have lost their jobs. But this community is strong. I wish all you guys would walk with me--maybe you've been there and seen the volunteers in the next building. It's unbelievable, 200 out there this very day, 200 to be trained; 180 of the 200, I'm told, are CPA's willing to pitch in to help do what's necessary to reconstruct. I look at this in a very broad sense, not only in terms of families that were hurt but in terms of international. I think most people here will concede and rejoice in the fact that we have good relations with Korea, something I take great pride in, incidentally. I think people in Korea share the same hurt that all of us do when they look and see this community of enterprising individuals that David reminds us came here, what, some 25 years ago, some more recently; got in, grabbed a piece of the American dream, and built something. To see it shattered is not the American way. And I will do everything I can to show our friends abroad as well as here that it's not the American way. And with that in mind, it means I want to help. It means the Federal Government is prepared to help in every way we possibly can. I want to go back to the volunteer concept that I mentioned a minute ago. That is also part of the American way. I'm sure it's part of the Korean way as well. But when you see one American reaching out to another in times of hardship, that is one of the things I think is very precious about our society. And the spirit of those volunteers out there, it's amazing. One of them actually hit me up for a little donation. [Laughter] I might say I understood perfectly, and in a modest way was able to contribute to this volunteer sector. Let me just go into a couple of problems. This has been a command center. I understand that some in the community were unhappy by the location of the disaster relief center. And by early next week, that unhappiness should give way because we are going to have a new, acceptable location to serve the needs of the community. And I understand that not having forms in Korean is a problem, and now there's efforts going on to be sure that those forms are printed in a way that can be understood in Korean so they can be understood by those small family operators that have suffered because of these uncontrolled forces. We also realize that translators are a problem, and we are working to provide translators to help with disaster relief. And of course, once again I salute the community, because the community is doing some of that. I just noticed that in here in a volunteer sense. There is no way I can tell you how much I respect what Radio Korea has done. I happen to be sitting next to its boss. But I will simply say we applaud Radio Korea for the support that has constantly been given to the Korean community, the pride that this station reflects when it brings to others what the Korean-American community stands for. It is wonderful, and we're grateful to you, sir. And I think you've acted as a lifeline in a sense in this tragic situation. A couple of people told me that as I was walking in. Two immediate concerns, and then I want to hear from you the priorities. I want to be sure that while I'm here I don't overlook a priority. Two immediate concerns are: What will the Government do to bring about a speedy economic recovery, and what can we do to ease the awful racial tension? I spoke about it in a church today, Reverend E.V. Hill's church. I think all Americans have to be concerned about both those points. I want you to know that the situation in L.A. is on the minds of all Americans. It is not a local situation. What's happened here is not something that we saw for an ugly moment that'll be forgotten. We've got to continue to strive for racial harmony and for the elimination of discrimination wherever it occurs in this country. And I am thankful, of course, that the streets are safer, with kids back in school, and that businesses are reopening. But now we need to concentrate on a major rebuilding effort. I have signed, as I'm sure you all know, a declaration, a disaster declaration, having directed FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Mrs. Saiki and the Small Business Administration that she so ably heads to provide immediate assistance to the victimized parties. Pat can answer your questions, can give you much more of the detail there. But it is a very important Agency at this time. FEMA is providing grants for personal needs such as food and clothing and medicine, for minor home damage, and unemployment assistance to those who are now without jobs. Even though they have their own businesses, some are without work because those businesses were destroyed. We have an 800 assistance number that will also receive calls in six languages. The Korean community took it on the chin the most, I think, but others are hurting, too. So we, the Federal Government, and Governor Wilson, and the Mayor are trying to respond as best we can to all the hurt out there. The SBA is also making disaster loans available for business losses, for home damage. Those loans could total over $300 million. All told, the Federal aid to Los Angeles and the surrounding areas here could run in the range of about $600 million. Again, I am delighted to have this opportunity to come here. And I just hope you will tell those who are hurt that, one, we care, and two, we are trying our level-best to heal those wounds, to get people back on their feet again. Because when I think of what this country needs, it's more small businesses, it's more entrepreneurs, people that will come here and take a risk and hopefully earn their share of what we think of as the American dream. I know that this American dream is still real. I'm sure to a businessman, a wife and a husband, for example, whose business has been closed and brutalized and ruined, he might wonder: Well, what's it all about? What does this mean? We have got, you and I--maybe you all can do it best--is convince those people that are hurting that the American dream is for real. And you will rebuild, and we'll be a part of helping you. So that's what I wanted to say. And David, I'd love to hear from members of the community and what you think we might do to assist. But we care very, very much. And as I say, I want to be the President to take the signal out around, back to Korea itself, and say: Look, people got hurt in my country, good people, good citizens. But we're going to make them whole, and we're going to give them some hope. So now, I don't know what the schedule is---- Participant. Open for questions and comments.”