[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19673]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    STATEMENT REQUIRED BY SECTION 402(a)(3) OF H. CON. RES. 95, THE 
        CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, the funds provided in H.R. 3673 
to meet the urgent needs arising from the consequences of Hurricane 
Katrina are designated as emergency requirements for the purposes of 
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95, 109th Congress. The requirements funded 
in the bill meet criteria outlined in section 402(c) since they are in 
response to a situation which poses a direct threat to life and 
property, is sudden, is urgent and compelling, is unpredictable, and is 
not permanent in nature. The funds are also essential to the continuing 
recovery effort.
  The devastation that has occurred in New Orleans and around the Gulf 
Coast as the result of Hurricane Katrina is of monumental proportions. 
It already is the most costly natural disaster in the Nation's history, 
and most government natural disaster assistance experts anticipate 
recovery needs far beyond the $62.3 billion to be provided by Congress 
in the first two Hurricane Katrina supplemental measures. The funds in 
H.R. 3673 will provide urgently needed food, shelter, security, and 
reconstruction. The funds will help to save lives. Clearly, the funds 
meet emergency needs and are consistent with the criteria outlined in 
the budget resolution.

                          ____________________