    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [April 25, 1991]
    [Page 432]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 432]]

    Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on Supplemental Assistance
    Requests for Iraqi Refugees
    April 25, 1991

        The President today transmitted to Congress a request for FY 1991
    supplemental appropriations for the Department of State and the Agency
    for International Development (AID) and language provisions for the
    Department of Defense. The requested funds and provisions are for
    humanitarian assistance efforts for refugees and displaced persons in
    and around Iraq as well as for peacekeeping activities.
        The proposed language provisions would permit transfer from the
    Persian Gulf Regional Defense Fund to the Department of Defense for the
    incremental costs of humanitarian assistance.
        In addition, the supplemental requests $123.5 million for the
    Department of State and $27 million for the Agency for International
    Development for assistance for refugees and displaced persons as well as
    for peacekeeping activities. The State Department and AID requests would
    be financed through transfers of interest earned on balances in the
    Defense Cooperation Account. Contributions of foreign governments would
    not be used.
        These supplemental requests would be exempt from statutory spending
    limits because they are incremental costs associated with Operation
    Desert Shield/Desert Storm.