[House Document 107-59]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                     

107th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 107-59


 
REQUESTS TO USE PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED CONTINGENT EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR 
                THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 A REQUEST TO MAKE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM OF 
     THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, PURSUANT TO SECTION 
 251(b)(2)(A) OF THE BALANCED BUDGET AND EMERGENCY DEFICIT CONTROL ACT 
                          OF 1985, AS AMENDED




   April 24, 2001.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                           The White House,
                                        Washington, April 12, 2001.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
    Sir: In accordance with provisions of P.L. 106-377, the 
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban 
Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, 
I hereby request and make available $700 million for the 
Disaster Relief program of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA).
    These funds will allow FEMA to continue providing 
assistance to recent victims of the Seattle earthquake, storms 
in Alabama, flooding in Arkansas, as well as victims of other 
declared disasters. These funds also will be available to 
ensure that FEMA has resources on hand to ensure timely 
responses to future disasters.
    I designate the $700 million 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.
    Enclosure.
                [Estimate No. 3, 107th Cong. 1st Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                    Washington, DC, April 12, 2001.
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 
emergency 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. Your approval of this request would make available 
$700 million for disaster relief for previously declared 
disasters, including the Seattle earthquake, storms in Alabama, 
flooding in Arkansas, and other declared disasters. These funds 
also would be available to ensure that FEMA has resources on 
hand to ensure timely responses to future disaster.
    P.L. 106-377, the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2001, provided $1.3 billion in contingent 
emergency funding to support the disaster relief operations of 
FEMA, $600 million of which was made available on January 19, 
2001. Since you recently declared disaster areas in the State 
of Washington, due to the damage caused by the Seattle 
earthquake, as well as in the States of Alabama and Arkansas 
for storm and flood recovery, FEMA has been working with State 
and local authorities to provide assistance to the affected 
areas. This request would made available $700 million for these 
and other disaster relief activities.
    I recommend that you designate this request for $700 
million, which is detailed in the enclosure to this letter, 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..............................................    $700,000,000

    P.L. 106-377, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2001, included $1.3 billion in emergency 
funding, contingent upon the President submitting a budget 
request to the Congress and designating the amount requested as 
an emergency requirement.
    On January 19, 2001, $600 million was released to address 
the needs of victims of Oklahoma and Arkansas winter storms, as 
well as other disasters.
    At this time, the remaining $700 million in emergency 
funding is required for FEMA to provide assistance to victims 
of previously declared disasters, including the Seattle 
earthquake, storms in Alabama, and flooding in Arkansas. These 
funds also will be available to ensure that FEMA has resources 
on hand to ensure timely responses to future disasters.

                                
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