    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [September 27, 2004]
    [Pages 2244-2245]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Transmitting
    Supplemental Budget Requests To Support Comprehensive Response and
    Recovery Efforts After Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne
    September 27, 2004

    Dear Mr. Speaker:
        On September 8th, I signed into law Public Law 108-303, the
    Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, which
    provided $2 billion in supplemental funds for hurricane-related disaster
    relief. On September 14th, I submitted a supplemental request totaling
    $3.1 billion to continue immediate assistance to address the impact of
    Hurricanes Charley and Frances.
        Due to Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne and other hurricane-related needs,
    I am requesting additional emergency funds from the Congress. I now ask
    the Congress to consider the enclosed requests, totaling over $7.1
    billion, for additional emergency FY 2004 supplemental resources for the
    Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, the
    Interior, Justice, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; as well as the
    Corps of Engineers, International Assistance Programs, and the Small
    Business Administration.
        I hereby designate these specific proposals in the amounts requested
    herein as emergency requirements. These additional requests will support
    response and recovery effort to address the critical needs associated
    with the effects of Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne and other storms in
    southern and eastern States and other affected areas. In addition to
    this enacted and requested emergency funding, Federal agencies will
    continue to use existing resources and programs for response and
    recovery efforts from all recent hurricanes and storms.
        I urge the Congress to limit this emergency funding to those items
    directly related to the recovery efforts from the impact of these recent
    major disasters and

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    to act expeditiously on this and my September 14th emergency
    supplemental request.
        The details of this request are set forth in the enclosed letter
    from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
             Sincerely,

                                                              George W. Bush