[House Document 107-59] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 107th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 107-59 REQUESTS TO USE PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED CONTINGENT EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY __________ COMMUNICATION from THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES transmitting A REQUEST TO MAKE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, PURSUANT TO SECTION 251(b)(2)(A) OF THE BALANCED BUDGET AND EMERGENCY DEFICIT CONTROL ACT OF 1985, AS AMENDEDApril 24, 2001.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed The White House, Washington, April 12, 2001. The Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sir: In accordance with provisions of P.L. 106-377, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, I hereby request and make available $700 million for the Disaster Relief program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These funds will allow FEMA to continue providing assistance to recent victims of the Seattle earthquake, storms in Alabama, flooding in Arkansas, as well as victims of other declared disasters. These funds also will be available to ensure that FEMA has resources on hand to ensure timely responses to future disasters. I designate the $700 million made available today as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. The details of this action are set forth in the attached letter from the Director of Management and Budget. I concur with his comments and observations. Sincerely, George W. Bush. Enclosure. [Estimate No. 3, 107th Cong. 1st Sess.] Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC, April 12, 2001. The President, The White House. Submitted for your consideration is a request to make available previously appropriated contingent emergency funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The emergency funding provided was made contingent upon your submission of a budget request to the Congress that includes designation of the amount requested as an emergency requirement. Your approval of this request would make available $700 million for disaster relief for previously declared disasters, including the Seattle earthquake, storms in Alabama, flooding in Arkansas, and other declared disasters. These funds also would be available to ensure that FEMA has resources on hand to ensure timely responses to future disaster. P.L. 106-377, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, provided $1.3 billion in contingent emergency funding to support the disaster relief operations of FEMA, $600 million of which was made available on January 19, 2001. Since you recently declared disaster areas in the State of Washington, due to the damage caused by the Seattle earthquake, as well as in the States of Alabama and Arkansas for storm and flood recovery, FEMA has been working with State and local authorities to provide assistance to the affected areas. This request would made available $700 million for these and other disaster relief activities. I recommend that you designate this request for $700 million, which is detailed in the enclosure to this letter, as an emergency requirement in accordance with section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. No further congressional action will be required. I have carefully reviewed this proposal and am satisfied that it is necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the Director of FEMA in recommending that you make the requested funds available by signing the enclosed letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sincerely, Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., Director. Enclosure. ------ Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made Available by the President Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Disaster Relief.............................................. $700,000,000 P.L. 106-377, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, included $1.3 billion in emergency funding, contingent upon the President submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the amount requested as an emergency requirement. On January 19, 2001, $600 million was released to address the needs of victims of Oklahoma and Arkansas winter storms, as well as other disasters. At this time, the remaining $700 million in emergency funding is required for FEMA to provide assistance to victims of previously declared disasters, including the Seattle earthquake, storms in Alabama, and flooding in Arkansas. These funds also will be available to ensure that FEMA has resources on hand to ensure timely responses to future disasters.