    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [March 20, 2002]
    [Page 464]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives on Emergency
    Appropriations and Allocation of Emergency Response Funds
    March 20, 2002

    Dear Mr. Speaker:
        In accordance with the requirement included in Public Law 107-63,
    the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
    FY 2002, I hereby request $346.0 million in emergency appropriations
    previously provided under title II for the Department of Agriculture for
    rehabilitation and wildfire suppression activities of the Forest
    Service.
        I hereby designate these funds as an emergency requirement pursuant
    to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
    Control Act of 1985. The entire amount is being designated as an
    emergency requirement to make $200.0 million available immediately to
    repay funds previously borrowed for emergency wildland fire suppression
    activities.
        Furthermore, in accordance with provisions of Public Law 107-38, the
    Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from and Response
    to Terrorist Attacks on the United States, FY 2001, I hereby authorize a
    transfer from the Emergency Response Fund totaling $27.2 million to the
    General Services Administration.
        I have previously authorized the transfer of over $19.9 billion in
    response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. With this
    action today, all the funds that were made available to me from the
    Emergency Response Fund have been transferred for urgent needs.
        The details of these actions are set forth in the enclosed letter
    from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. I concur with
    his comments and observations.
             Sincerely,

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    March 21.