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Skriven 2006-02-16 23:33:28 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060216a) for Thu, 2006 Feb 16
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Fact Sheet: President Bush Requests $19.8 Billion for Hurricane Recovery
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 16, 2006

Fact Sheet: President Bush Requests $19.8 Billion for Hurricane Recovery


ÿÿÿÿÿText of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives
ÿÿÿÿÿIn Focus: Hurricane Recovery

Today's Presidential Action:

Today, President Bush asked Congress for $19.8 Billion in Emergency Funding
to Support Ongoing Hurricane Recovery Efforts. President Bush is committed
to helping residents of the Gulf Coast rebuild their lives in the wake of
the disaster, and these additional funds will support ongoing recovery
efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business
Administration (SBA), and other Federal government agencies.

To date, the President and Congress have provided over $87 billion for
Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief and recovery efforts. With these funds,
FEMA and other Federal agencies, working with faith-based and other
humanitarian organizations, have responded to the immediate housing, food,
and medical needs of evacuees, continued response and recovery efforts, and
provided support for urgently needed repairs to local government facilities
such as schools and other public buildings.

The supplemental funds requested today will build on these recovery efforts
by assisting families, rebuilding communities, combating fraud, renewing
vital Federal facilities, restoring the environment, and strengthening
hurricane defenses.

  þ Rebuilding Lives and Communities

    Direct Relief: The President is requesting $9.4 billion for FEMA
    disaster relief. This funding will support ongoing response efforts,
    including direct assistance to families for shelter, medical care, and
    other FEMA disaster assistance benefits. Additionally, funds will
    support the rebuilding of local public facilities, emergency protective
    measures, debris removal, and other recovery activities.

    Housing and Flood Mitigation: To help rebuild homes and communities so
    they are less vulnerable to future disasters, the President is
    requesting $4.2 billion in Community Development Block Grant funds to
    Louisiana to address the State's special need for future flood
    mitigation, including relocation or improvement of housing and
    infrastructure; $1.3 billion for SBA's Disaster Loan Program; and $202
    million for HUD's voucher assistance for disaster housing for
    low-income renters.

    Direct Community Relief: The President is requesting funds to support
    $400 million in loan volume for Community Disaster Loans to help local
    governments provide essential services, rebuild neighborhoods, and
    restore communities; $10 million for the Federal government to purchase
    floodplain easements in disaster-prone areas; and $21 million to
    restore fishery resources and implement sustainable approaches to
    fishery redevelopment in the Gulf region.

  þ Strengthening the Gulf Coast's Hurricane Defenses
    Improving hurricane defenses will save lives and reduce damage in
    future storms. Requested improvements to hurricane defenses include:

    Improved Storm Protection: $1.36 billion to strengthen and improve
    hurricane and storm protection for greater New Orleans and surrounding
    areas. These funds are in addition to the $1.5 billion that Congress
    provided for these needs in December 2005 at the President's request
    and meets his commitment to improve the area's storm protection.

    Wetland Restoration: $100 million to reduce the risk of storm damage to
    the greater New Orleans metropolitan area by restoring surrounding
    wetlands.

    Early Warnings: $70 million to reconstruct and improve existing public
    alert, warning, and crisis communications systems in the Gulf region.

  þ Restoring the Gulf Coast Environment
    In addition to homes and cities, the Gulf Coast's natural environment
    was seriously damaged by the hurricanes. The President is requesting
    more than $200 million to restore the Gulf Coast's unique environment:

    Wildlife Refuges: $132.4 million to repair 30 national wildlife
    refuges.
    National Parks: $55.4 million to repair 12 national parks.
    Environmental Monitoring: $6 million for air-quality monitoring of
    debris burning and construction emissions.
    Underground Tank Repairs: $7 million to repair damaged underground
    storage tanks.

  þ Rebuilding Federal Services and Facilities
    The Federal government is a major source of employment and economic
    stimulus in the Gulf region. To continue restoring this presence, the
    President is requesting more than $2.6 billion for Federal rebuilding
    including:

    Defense: $1.8 billion to repair and replace damaged equipment,
    reconstruct destroyed facilities, and cover increased shipbuilding
    costs caused by delays at Gulf Coast shipyards.
    Veterans: $600 million to rebuild the VA hospital in New Orleans that
    served more than 40,000 veterans in 2005.
    Coast Guard: $69 million for major repairs, reconstruction, and
    equipment replacement at Coast Guard facilities.
    National Finance Center: $25 million for equipment and repairs to the
    National Finance Center in New Orleans.
    Research Center: $20 million to restore the Agricultural Research
    Service facility in New Orleans.
    NOAA: $11.8 million to repair the NOAA science center supporting the
    Gulf's seafood industry.
    Customs and Border Protection: $16 million for Customs & Border
    Protection rebuilding in New Orleans.
    Geological Survey: $10.2 million to repair US Geological Survey
    facilities and stream gauges.

  þ Preventing and Prosecuting Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

    The Administration is committed to spending taxpayers' money
    responsibly. To make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and
    honestly, the President is requesting $13.5 million for agency
    Inspectors General to investigate and audit recovery activities and
    $9.7 million to prosecute fraud. This is in addition to the $15 million
    Congress previously appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security
    Inspector General to guard against waste, fraud, and abuse.

The American People Have Made An Unprecedented Commitment To The Gulf Coast

  þ Congress and the Administration have already made available over $87
    billion in direct relief to the Gulf Region. Funds made available to
    date have gone for immediate relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts,
    paying more than 200,000 flood insurance claims, and for Federal agency
    relief and recovery operations and facility reconstruction.

  þ Gulf Opportunity Zones are providing tax relief for businesses affected
    by Hurricane Katrina. On December 21, 2005, the President signed into
    law the Gulf Opportunity (GO) Zone Act of 2005 to reinvigorate the Gulf
    Coast economy. The Act increased business expensing, accelerated bonus
    depreciation, expensing for demolition and cleanup expenses, and net
    operating loss carry-backs..

  þ Private individuals, groups and businesses have contributed more than
    $3 Billion to charities supporting Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. In
    his Address to the Nation from New Orleans' Jackson Square on September
    15, 2005, the President called on all Americans to help those affected
    by Hurricane Katrina. Private individuals, groups, and businesses met
    the challenge and have contributed more than $3 billion in support of
    faith-based and community organizations and disaster relief agencies.

The Administration is Providing Local Officials the Resources Necessary to
Rebuild

  þ In December 2005, the President appointed Don Powell to coordinate
    Federal assistance to state and local rebuilding efforts. To date, the
    Administration has obligated approximately $29.6 billion for disaster
    assistance, SBA loans, and flood insurance claims in Louisiana; $10.4
    billion in Mississippi; and $7.1 billion total in Alabama, Texas, and
    Florida, with millions more going to other states assisting relief
    efforts.

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