Kansas City, Mo ? President Bush on Tuesday received enthusiastic support in the “Heartland” for his proposed Department of Homeland Security a new Cabinet-level agency that would combine the forces of numerous governmental functions to fight terrorism.

Bush said his proposal was needed to help prevent new acts of terrorism and hunt down terrorists.

President Bush tells an audience at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo., about the importance of his initiative to develop a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security. During Bush's daylong visit Tuesday to Kansas City, he toured a city water treatment plant and attended a fund-raiser for a Republican Senate hopeful.

“The best way to secure the homeland is to hunt killers down one by one and bring them to justice,” Bush told a cheering crowd of nearly 1,000 people at Oak Park High School.

Before the speech, Bush toured a nearby water treatment plant with Tom Ridge, director of homeland security, and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Christie Whitman. The officials were briefed on security issues facing major public works facilities.

Bush was scheduled to headline a $500-a-plate fund-raiser in the evening for Missouri Republican senatorial candidate Jim Talent before leaving.

At Oak Park High, Bush said the Sept. 11 terrorist attack showed the federal government must adjust to fighting “shadowy enemies who live in caves.”

Since the terrorist attacks, Bush and many agencies have come under fire for failing to closely follow known terrorists operating in the United States.

Last week, Bush proposed formation of a Department of Homeland Security, pulling in varied governmental enforcement agencies under the authority of one cabinet-level position.

Bush has not presented a specific plan for Congress to consider, but he gave an outline during his 30-minute speech.

He said he wants better monitoring of who enters and leaves the United States, increased help to local law enforcement, a strategy developed to deal with the threat of bioterrorism and better analysis of intelligence.

Many of those who attended the speech said the proposal made sense.

Homeland security chief Tom Ridge is dwarfed by a photograph of a firefighter at the president's talk in Kansas City.

“That is very appropriate, right on target,” said Gary Brown, an alderman from Platte City. Brown said he didn’t vote for Bush but believes he probably will in 2004.

Before flying to Kansas City, Bush met with congressional leaders of both parties to discuss the proposal and was pleased with their reaction.

“It’s important to elevate this debate way beyond political parties,” Bush said.

He predicted there will be tough “turf” battles in Congress because the proposal would move agencies out from under the control of certain legislators. Some in Congress have said that so far, Bush’s proposal is long on public relations but short on details.

While Bush spent much of his speech to denounce terrorism, it was his conclusion about how Americans “could fight evil” that seemed to stick with those who were interviewed afterward.

Bush said, “If you want to fight evil, love your neighbor like you’d like to be loved yourself.” He urged citizens to help children and the elderly.

After the speech, Mary Albers, an assistant principal from Gladstone, said, “I thought it was inspirational. He just gives you a sense of hope.”

“It was very appropriate,” said David Jackson of Kearney. “He talked about how we should treat each other fairly and respect each other’s religious viewpoints.”

Kathie May, Liberty, said she was impressed with Bush’s ability to “speak right to the common people. I don’t follow politics that much, but I understood everything he was talking about.”