[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 28, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E65]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CLARIFICATION OF CONGRESSIONAL INTENT OF SECTION 102(g) OF DIVISION H 
                              IN H.R. 2673

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 28, 2004

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to clarify the Congressional intent 
of Section 102(g) of Division H, Miscellaneous Appropriations and 
Offsets, in H.R. 2673, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004.
  Specifically, after discussing this Section with my colleague, Mr. 
Goodlatte of Virginia, it is my understanding that it is the 
Congressional intent of that provision to also provide assistance to 
those producers who sustained eligible losses in the wildfire, known as 
the McNally Fire, which occurred in southern California in 2002.
  I am pleased that this is indeed the Congressional intent of Section 
102(g) because, as in the case of the 2003 southern California 
wildfires, while human action contributed to the genesis of the McNally 
Fire, the underlying natural conditions were such that it quickly 
became a natural disaster of enormous proportions and intensity. Among 
those underlying natural conditions were the weather, specifically 
drought conditions, and a buildup of undergrowth, dead or dying trees, 
and brush.
  From my discussions with the Gentleman from Virginia, it is my 
further understanding that Section 102(g) is intended to provide 
assistance to those producers in the same manner as authorized in the 
underlying act cited in Section 102(g), Division H of the Conference 
Report to H.R. 2673, and specifically using the same loss thresholds as 
provided in that underlying act. The Congressional intent also is to 
ensure that the Secretary of Agriculture has the flexibility to make 
payments in a manner that quickly facilitates receipt of this 
assistance by eligible persons.
  I appreciate the assistance rendered by the Gentleman from Virginia 
in this matter.

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