Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/president-bush-visits-gulf-coast-for-katrina-anniversary Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript President Bush arrived in Biloxi, Miss. Monday to survey the region's recovery effort in the year since Hurricane Katrina. His next stop is New Orleans. The city's leaders and residents discuss the changes that have taken place since the hurricane hit. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. RAY SUAREZ: President Bush began his two-day visit to the Gulf in Biloxi, Mississippi. After lunch with community leaders there, he toured a damaged neighborhood with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and U.S. Senators Trent Lott and Thad Cochran.During the speech to local residents, the president pledged the federal government would make good on its promise to help rebuild.GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States: A year ago, I committed our federal government to help you. I said we have a duty to help the local people recover and rebuild, and I meant what I said.Working with Thad and Trent Lott, and other members of the United States Congress, we have appropriated $110 billion to help rebuild this area. It is a strong federal commitment that we will keep.We understand people are still anxious to get in their home. We understand people hear about help and wonder where it is. We know that. But the first thing is, is that this federal government has made a commitment to help. And it starts with a large check.It also means that, in order for the rebuilding to be as strong as we want, there has to be a partnership with the federal government and the state and local governments. RAY SUAREZ: Out of the $110 billion in federal funds approved by Congress to help rebuild the Gulf Coast, so far some $22 billion in aid has been allocated to the state of Mississippi. But much of the money has yet to be distributed.Some 35,000 Mississippi families are still living in FEMA trailers. The president said he was encouraged by the determination of those who stayed and those who were returning home. GEORGE W. BUSH: See, there's a new Mississippi that's coming, and you're going to see it in the construction of homes and the return of local businesses.This requires a different kind of courage, but it's a courage, nevertheless, for people to take risks and to rebuild and say, "I'm not going to let the storm disrupt my life forever."See, you've got people here who are leading the reconstruction. We'll help you. We've committed more than $3 billion in housing grants, and that money is beginning to flow to the homeowners.I know there's some frustration, but I want to appreciate the state working hard to make sure that, when that money is spent, it's spent well and it goes to people who deserve it. That's what you expect, and that's what's going to happen.The checks have begun to roll; they're beginning to move. You can't drive through this state without seeing signs of recovery and renewal. It's just impossible to miss the signs of hope. And you've done it the old-fashioned way, with vision and hard work and resolve.