[House Document 107-244]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



107th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 107-244 


 
                    A REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              Transmitting

HIS REQUEST TO MAKE AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM OF 
                THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY




July 15, 2002.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered 
                             to be printed
                               __________

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
99-012                    WASHINGTON : 2002

                                           The White House,
                                         Washington, July 12, 2002.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with provisions of Public 
Law 107-73, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and 
Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 
2002, I hereby request and make available $500 million for the 
disaster relief program of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA).
    These funds would allow FEMA to continue providing 
assistance to victims of disasters in several States, including 
victims of recent flooding in Texas and wild fires in Arizona 
and Colorado. These funds would also be available for ongoing 
response to prior disasters and to ensure that FEMA has 
resources on hand to provide timely response to future 
disasters.
    I designate the funds made available today as an emergency 
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced 
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended.
    The details of this action are set forth in the attached 
letter from the Director of Management and Budget. I concur 
with his comments and observations.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.
                [Estimate No. 16, 107th Cong., 2d Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                     Washington, DC, July 11, 2002.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration is a request to make 
available previously appropriated contingent emergency funds 
for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding 
provided was made contingent upon your submission of a budget 
request to the Congress that includes designation of the amount 
requested as an emergency requirement.
    Title III of P.L. 107-73, the Departments of Veterans 
Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, provided $1.5 billion in 
contingent emergency appropriations for FEMA disaster relief. 
On May 15, 2002, you made $500 million of this funding 
available to FEMA to address needs associated with tornadoes in 
Maryland and storms and flooding in Kentucky, Tennessee, and 
Virginia. Your approval of this request would make available 
another $500 million for disaster relief for previously 
declared disasters, including recent flooding in Texas and 
wildfires in Arizona and Colorado. FEMA has been working with 
State and local authorities to provide assistance to the 
affected areas. These funds also would be available for ongoing 
response to prior disasters and to ensure that FEMA has 
resources on hand to provide timely response to future 
disasters.
    I recommend that you designate this request for $500 
million as an emergency requirement in accordance with section 
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
Control Act of 1985, as amended. No further congressional 
action will be required.
    I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied 
that it is necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the 
Director of FEMA in recommending that you make the requested 
funds available by signing the enclosed letter to the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives.
            Sincerely,
                                  Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made 
                       Available by the President

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
    Disaster Relief.....................................    $500,000,000

    Title III of P.L. 107-73, the Departments of Veterans 
Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, provided $1.5 billion in 
emergency funding for FEMA disaster relief, contingent upon the 
President submitting a budget request to the Congress and 
designating the amount requested as an emergency requirement. 
On May 15, 2002, the President made available $500 million of 
the $1.5 billion to address tornado damage in Maryland and 
storms and flooding in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.
    The President recently declared disasters in Texas for 
flooding and in Arizona and Colorado for wildfires. FEMA has 
been working with State and local authorities to provide 
assistance to the affected areas. This request would make 
available $500 million of the $1.0 billion in remaining 
contingent emergency funding for disaster relief activities 
associated with these recent disasters, as well as continuing 
response to prior disasters, and other disaster relief 
activities.

                                  
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