[House Document 107-215] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 107th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 107-215 REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY __________ COMMUNICATION FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES transmitting A REQUEST TO MAKE AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCYMay 16, 2002.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed __________ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 99-012 WASHINGTON : 2002 The White House Washington, May 15, 2002. Hon. J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with provisions of Public Law 107-73, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, I hereby request and make available $500 million for the Disaster Relief program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These funds will allow FEMA to continue providing assistance to victims of disasters in several States, including victims of recent tornadoes in Maryland and storms and flooding in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. These funds also would be available for ongoing response to prior disasters and to ensure that FEMA has resources on hand to provide timely response to future disasters. I designate the $500 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 enclosed letter from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. I concur with his comments and observations. Sincerely, George W. Bush. Enclosure. [Estimate No. 7, 107th Cong., 2d Sess.] Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC, May 15, 2002. 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 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. Title III of P.L. 107-73, The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, provided $1.5 billion in contingent emergency appropriations for FEMA disaster relief. To date, you have not released any of these emergency funds. Your approval of this request would make available $500 million for disaster relief for previously declared disasters, including victims of recent tornadoes in Maryland and storms and flooding in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. FEMA has been working with State and local authorities to provide assistance to the affected areas. These funds also would be available for ongoing response to prior disasters and to ensure that FEMA has resources on hand to provide timely response to future disasters. I recommend that you designate this request for $500 million 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..................................... $500,000,000 Title III of P.L. 107-73, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, provided $1.5 billion in emergency funding for FEMA disaster relief, contingent upon the President submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the amount requested as an emergency requirement. None of these funds have yet been designated as an emergency requirement and made available. The President recently declared disasters in Maryland for tornadoes and in the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia for damage caused by storms and flooding. FEMA has been working with State and local authorities to provide assistance to the affected areas. This request would make available $500 million of the $1.5 billion in contingent emergency funding for disaster relief activities associated with these recent disasters, as well as continuing response to prior disasters, and other disaster relief activities.