Our enemies have no regard for human life. They're trying to hijack a great religion to justify a dark vision that rejects freedom and tolerance and dissent. They have a strategy, and part of that strategy is they're trying to shake our will. They kill the innocent. They kill women and children, knowing that the images of their brutality will horrify civilized peoples. Their goal is to drive nations into retreat so they can topple governments across the Middle East, establish Taliban-like regimes, and turn that region into a launching pad for more attacks against our people. In all their objectives, our enemies are trying to intimidate America and the free world. And in all their objectives, they will fail.

Like the great struggles of the 20th century, the war on terror demands every element of our national power. Yet this is a different kind of war. Our enemies are not organized into battalions, or commanded by governments. They hide in shadowy networks and retreat after they strike. After September the 11th, 2001, I made a pledge, America will not be — will not wait to be attacked again. We will go on the offense and we will defend our freedom.

We have a comprehensive strategy to win this war on terror. It includes three parts — protecting this homeland, taking the fight to the enemy, and advancing freedom. The first part of our strategy is to protect America. We're reforming our intelligence services to stay ahead of our enemies and to rout out terror cells before they strike. We're using our diplomatic and financial tools to cut off the terrorists' financing and to drain them of their support. We've more than tripled funding for homeland security since September the 11th, 2001. We've provided more than $14 billion to train and equip state and local first responders. Many of our police officers and firefighters and first responders are veterans, and America is grateful for their dedication to keeping this country safe.

One of the most important tools we have to protect America is called the USA Patriot Act. This good law permits our intelligence and law enforcement communities to share information. It gives our law enforcement officers many of the same tools to fight terror that they already use to fight drugs and street crime. The Patriot Act is fully consistent with the United States Constitution, and as a result of that act, we're getting results. Our law enforcement intelligence officers have used the Patriot Act to help break up terror cells and support networks in California and New York and Ohio and Illinois and Virginia and Florida and other states.

Key provisions of the Patriot Act are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. Yet the terrorist threat to our country will not expire at the end of this year. When the House and Senate return from their recess, they need to send me a bill to renew the Patriot Act.