[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 12 (Monday, March 25, 2002)]
[Pages 475-476]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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

[[Page 476]]

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.