[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 106 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                AMENDMENTS TO VA/HUD APPROPRIATIONS BILL

  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I would like to thank the distinguished 
Senator from Maryland [Ms. Mikulski] and the ranking Member from Texas, 
Senator Graham, for working with Senator Nunn and I on these two 
important amendments to the bill. Many of my colleagues have heard from 
me and the senior Senator on the initial devastation that occurred 
during the flooding in the southern portion of our State. They have 
responded by providing necessary funding for agricultural, housing, and 
business assistance to those Georgians most drastically affected by the 
floods. These Georgia flood victims, along with their counterparts in 
Florida and Alabama, now race a tougher challenge: to reconstruct their 
communities from the ground up in a mission I have termed ``Operation 
Buildback.''
  The two amendments that Senator Nunn and I have worked on and 
approved through Senator Mikulski will address many of the needs that 
will arise in ``Operation Buildback.'' The first amendment provides for 
an additional $180,000,000 in State and local government grants for 
carrying out community programs to States, local governments, and 
businesses to assist in disaster recovery. This will certainly be 
important in our community rebuilding efforts, particularly in the 
business sector.
  The second amendment will provide $12,500,000 to fund $50,000,000 in 
additional loan authority to FEMA to be used to assist local 
governments in recovering from revenue losses associated with the loss 
of county utilities, a prime revenue source for these governments.
  These two amendments address important needs, and I thank Senator 
Mikulski and Senator Gramm for efforts on Georgia's behalf.

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