Posted on 09/28/2004 3:23:56 PM PDT by snopercod
WASHINGTON -- Billions more federal dollars will likely pour into Florida and other Southeastern states as they struggle to return to normal after a series of devastating hurricanes.
In his third request to Congress for supplemental storm aid, President Bush asked lawmakers on Monday for an additional $7.1 billion. Congress has already approved Bush's first request of $2 billion and is considering his second, a $3.1 billion proposal - meaning the price tag for all three could exceed $12.2 billion.
The government will have to borrow to pay for the packages, adding to already huge federal deficits.
The latest request includes $4.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which provides assistance to individuals and to state and local governments.
That means that if the requests are all approved, FEMA would get more than $8 billion for the four storms that have pummeled the Southeast since mid-August. The most FEMA has ever spent for a natural disaster was $7 billion after the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California.
The latest request was coming to Capitol Hill as the remnants of Hurricane Jeanne, the fourth in a row, rumbled north into Georgia after adding to the damage its predecessors caused in Florida.
While the first two requests focused on hurricanes Charley and Frances, the latest was supposed to include damage caused by Ivan - and some initial funds for recovery from Jeanne.
The new package also contains $889 million for the Defense Department to repair military facilities in the affected area.
Click to learn more... Other requests in the $7.1 billion package include:
-$600 million to make emergency repairs to hurricane-damaged roads and highways.
-$472 million in Small Business administration loans for businesses and homeowners.
-About $400 million for the Agriculture Department to aid farmers suffering crop and other losses.
-$81 million for the Army Corps of Engineers to restore navigational channels and other repair projects.
-$132 million to repair major federal facilities, including installations of the Veterans Affairs Department and other agencies, including wildlife refuges.
-$50 million in disaster and famine relief assistance to Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica and other countries struck by the hurricanes.
The repeated pummeling has frustrated many in Florida and made some of its lawmakers impatient for more federal assistance.
Bush better win Florida with all the aid that's going there
Wasn't this all very predicable? You live in Florida, you get hurricanes. Tell me again the University of Miami's name for it's sports teams.
Why else would he ask for substantially more money than required to rebuild Los Angeles after the Northridge earthquake?
This is just to give business to his rich friends (/liberaltripe)
LA is one city. Flori-duh is an entire state that has been hit 4 times by massive hurricanes. I would not necessarily ascribe a political motive to the asking for funds. The poor folks down there need the help.
Hey, there's a thought. Let's give Halliburton the contract to rebuild Florida!
You obviously have never suffered such a massive loss.
I'm poor, too, and bound to get poorer if congress approves this.
What I don't understand is why Tulsa's nickname is the "Golden Hurricane." Now "Tornado" would make more sense wouldn't it?
That's where you're wrong. I've been on a strict diet for two months and have lost over 35 pounds.
BTW, I drove 20 hours (round trip) to Florida two weeks ago to help out friends and family down there. What did you do to help?
I've been out of work since May (have a strong job prospect coming up but it has been tough). Yet, I still have enough compassion that if I can help the people in Florida through this tragedy I will gladly do it. After all, it's not ALL about ME.
I'm a Southern Baptist and give to our aid organizations which have helped HEAVILY in Florida, thank you very much.
A good portion of that money will be distributed in the form of loans that will get paid back.
Maybe a back injury keeps me from that sort of labor (under Doctors orders to do no lifting because of a herniated disk). I help where I can, and where the government can step in and help, I certainly don't begrudge the little bit of tax money that it would cost to help in that way as well -- unlike SOME PEOPLE we know.
Being a good Christian, do you think it's right to force people to pay for disaster relief?
imo
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