[House Document 108-137]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                     

108th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 108-137
 
                 REQUESTS FOR FY 2004 BUDGET AMENDMENTS

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

     REQUESTS FOR FY 2004 BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OF 
    AGRICULTURE AND THE INTERIOR TO REIMBURSE EMERGENCY EXPENSES TO 
                   SUPPRESS FOREST FIRES IN FY 2003.




  October 21, 2003.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                           The White House,
                                      Washington, October 16, 2003.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: I ask the Congress to consider the 
enclosed FY 2004 budget amendments for the Departments of 
Agriculture and the Interior to reimburse emergency expenses to 
suppress forest fires in FY 2003.
    These amendments would adjust upward the total 
discretionary budget authority requested by $0.4 billion, 
bringing the total discretionary funding agreed to by my 
Administration and the Congress to $786.0 billion. While this 
request increases total discretionary spending beyond the 
previously agreed upon level, my Administration and 
congressional leadership determined earlier this year that 
emergency funding could be added when mutually agreed upon in 
advance. This request is consistent with that agreement.
    The requests in this transmittal are for the purpose of 
fulfilling known and urgent requirements that cannot reasonably 
be met through the use of existing agency funds. I hereby 
designate the specific proposals in the amounts requested 
herein as emergency requirements.
    The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed 
letter from the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.
               [Estimate No. 21, 108th Cong., 1st Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                  Washington, DC, October 15, 2003.
The President,
The White House.
    Submitted for your consideration are requests for FY 2004 
budget amendments for the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and 
the Interior (DOI).
    The 2003 fire season to date has seen over 50,000 fires 
burn nearly 3.2 million acres. The total FY 2003 cost of these 
fires was $1.3 billion, well above the historical average. 
Prolonged drought and dense growth led to unusually intense 
wildfires this year. Many of these fires have threatened lives 
and homes in communities throughout the West. These fires have 
also caused extensive damage to watersheds and wildlife habitat 
that require emergency rehabilitation to prevent further damage 
to our natural resources.
    Due to extraordinary and unanticipated expenses in 
responding to fires on Federal public lands, the request would 
provide an additional $0.3 billion for USDA's Forest Service 
and an additional $0.1 billion for DOI's Bureau of Land 
Management to reimburse accounts from which funds were 
transferred in FY 2003. These amendments would adjust upward 
the total discretionary budget authority requested by $0.4 
billion, bringing the total discretionary funding level agreed 
to by the Administration and the Congress to $786.0 billion.
    While this request increases total discretionary spending 
beyond the previously agreed upon level, the Administration and 
congressional leadership determined earlier this year that 
emergency funding could be added when mutually agreed upon in 
advance. This request is consistent with that agreement. To 
ensure adequate funding to meet anticipated suppression needs 
in FY 2004, it is important that Congress fully fund your base 
request for fire suppression. We will continue to work with the 
Congress to address this important issue.
    The requests in this transmittal are for the purpose of 
fulfilling known and urgent requirements that cannot reasonably 
be met through the use of existing agency funds. I recommend 
that you designate the specific proposals contained in this 
transmittal as emergency requirements.
    I have carefully reviewed these proposals and am satisfied 
that they are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the 
Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior in recommending 
that you transmit the amendments to the Congress.
            Sincerely,
                                          Joshua B. Bolten,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.
                       DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


                             Forest Service


                        WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

FY 2004 Budget Appendix Page: 177
FY 2004 Pending Request: $1,541,775,000
Proposed Amendment: $301,000,000
Revised Request: $1,842,775,000

    (In appropriations language under the above heading, delete 
``$1,541,775,000'' and substitute $1,842,775,000; and add the 
following after the fourth proviso:)
    Provided further, That of the funds provided, $301,000,000 
is to repay prior year advances from other appropriations from 
which funds were transferred for wildfire suppression and 
emergency rehabilitation activities: Provided further, That 
Congress designates the amount provided in the previous proviso 
as an emergency requirement for this specific purpose:
    This proposal would provide an additional $301 million for 
the Forest Service to reimburse accounts from which funds were 
transferred in FY 2003 for use in firefighting.
                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


                       Bureau of Land Management


                        WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

FY 2004 Budget Appendix Page: 528
FY 2004 Pending Request: $698,725,000
Proposed Amendment: $99,000,000
Revised Request: $797,725,000

    (In appropriations language under the above heading, delete 
``$698,725,000'' and substitute $797,725,000; and add the 
following after the third proviso:)
    Provided further, That of the funds provided, $99,000,000 
is to repay prior year advances from other appropriations from 
which funds were transferred for wildfire suppression and 
emergency rehabilitation activities: Provided further, That 
Congress designates the amount provided in the previous proviso 
as an emergency requirement for this specific purpose:
    This amendment would provide an additional $99 million for 
the Department of the Interior to reimburse accounts from which 
funds were transferred in FY 2003 for use in firefighting.

                                
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