[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
[February 14, 1995]
[Pages 213-214]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to the Speaker of the House on Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Requests
February 14, 1995

Dear Mr. Speaker:
    My Fiscal Year 1996 Budget requests $10.4 billion in supplemental 
appropriations for the current fiscal year. Much of the request is for 
emergency requirements, such as contingency operations of the Department 
of Defense and disaster relief provided by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency. My Budget also proposes to reduce low-priority 
spending in FY 1995 by $2.4 billion, primarily to pay for non-emergency 
supplemental requests.
    I was disappointed to receive your February 7, 1995 letter 
indicating your intent to delay action on several of these emergency 
requests until the Administration proposes offsets. I am particularly 
concerned about my request for $6.7 billion for FEMA Disaster Relief, 
all of which is properly designated as an emergency, under the terms of 
the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990.
    The Budget Enforcement Act established the authority for the 
President and Congress to exempt certain spending from the statutory 
caps, specifically for the purpose of meeting emergency, unanticipated 
requirements. This joint designation by the President and Congress has 
been used over the last four years to provide critical assistance in 
response to earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, extreme cold and 
agricultural disasters, and for other purposes.
    President Bush and Congress approved $10.2 billion as emergency 
spending in response to Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki in Florida, 
Louisiana and Hawaii. In fact, from 1991-1992, President Bush and 
Congress provided emergency funding for 100 accounts, totalling $12.3 
billion.
    I worked with Congress to provide $6.8 billion in emergency funding 
to aid the victims of the Midwest floods in nine states. I also reached 
agreement with Congress to designate emergency spending for the 
Northridge earthquake.

[[Page 214]]

The emergency designations were appropriate because the human and 
physical costs of these disasters were extraordinary and the economic 
effects were truly national in scope.
    Of the pending $6.7 billion FEMA request, $4.9 billion is related to 
the Northridge earthquake. Over 700,000 people were affected. 
Approximately 120,000 structures, including schools, hospitals, 
municipal buildings and private residences, were damaged. Almost 40 
miles of roads and freeways were rendered impassable.
    Following the January 17, 1994 earthquake, I responded with a 
request for emergency supplemental funding on January 26. Congress 
quickly responded to the urgent needs of the Southern California region 
and I promptly signed the emergency legislation on February 12, just 26 
days after the earthquake.
    The nation should be proud of our rapid response. All of the damaged 
highways were reopened to traffic within 10 months. Virtually all of the 
6,000 school buildings that were damaged have reopened. Over 113,000 
loans have been made to small businesses and homeowners, and FEMA 
disaster housing assistance has been provided to over 400,000 
households.
    Because of the need to respond quickly to the earthquake, FEMA's 
damage estimates were necessarily preliminary. Our revised request is 
based on the more detailed studies that are required of damaged 
structures.
    If action on our request is delayed, FEMA will, beginning in May, be 
unable to allocate funds to meet any new disaster requirements, unless 
money reserved for the 40 states currently receiving disaster assistance 
is cut. For example, emergency appropriations provided in FY 1994 are 
currently being used to fund assistance to people, businesses and local 
governments impacted by Tropical Storm Alberto in Georgia, the Midwest 
floods, the Texas floods and the recent floods in California. If action 
is further delayed until July, FEMA will run out of money.
    While I share your concern for reducing the deficit, I do not 
believe we should delay assistance to victims of natural disasters. I am 
proud of my Administration's record for reducing the deficit, while 
providing prompt assistance to the victims of natural disasters. When 
responding to crises, America has traditionally come together without 
regard to politics or region. In that spirit, I urge you to reconsider 
your decision.
    Sincerely,

                                                            Bill Clinton