Newsgroups: biz.americast.samples
From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com
Organization: American Cybercasting
Subject: \HD Disaster aid looms larger in Congress
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 09:14:26 EDT

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\SE A;NATION
\HD Disaster aid looms larger in Congress
\SH Hill apt to top Bush's request
\BY Major Garrett and Frank J.  Murray
\CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Congress appears ready to approve more than the $7.6 billion requested
by President Bush in federal disaster aid to Florida, Louisiana and Guam,
areas ravaged by horrendous summer storms.

Florida Gov.  Lawton Chiles yesterday pressed his case with the
president, administration budget officials, Senate Majority Leader George
Mitchell and House Speaker Thomas S.  Foley.

The governor, a former senator, said Florida alone needed between $7
billion and $9 billion.

"We're delighted the president has moved so quickly," Mr.  Chiles said
in a meeting with Mr.  Foley.  "We think the president's request is lower
than the extent of the real damages are."

Whatever the amount, most will be added to the deficit.  By agreeing
the spending is an "emergency," Congress and the president will not have to
offset it with spending cuts or tax increases as called for in the 1990
Budget Act.

Hurricane Andrew lashed South Florida and coastal Louisiana two weeks
ago, leaving hundreds of thousands without homes and, until recently,
lacking essentials such as drinkable water, toilets, food and clothing.

Typhoon Omar, a less publicized tropical storm, inflicted heavy damage
on the island territory.  The president's request seeks to cover all three
storm-ravaged areas.

"It's a large financial burden, but the personal and human need is even
more staggering, and our country must be able to answer the cries for help
from those people," Mr.  Bush said at a meeting with congressional leaders.
"And I think it has been a truly bi-partisan - or put it this way -
non-partisan effort."

Indeed, congressional leaders promised swift action.  The Senate
Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider the proposal Thursday,
when it is likely to be attached to a pending supplemental spending bill
for other domestic needs.

The Senate should vote on the measure early next week, about the time
the House Appropriations Committee will deliver its own version, which a
top Democratic aide said would be larger than Mr.  Bush requested.

After reconciling the two bills, Congress could be prepared to pass a
unified disaster relief bill by the fourth week of the month.

Here's a summary of the largest components of Mr.  Bush's request.

* Agriculture: $746.1 million, including $300 million in payments to
farmers who lost crops and $10 million to house farm laborers.

* Defense: $1 billion, including $10.2 million to repair beach erosion,
$480.6 million to rebuild Homestead Air Force Base, $115.7 million to
evacuate Homestead, $171 million to clean up after Typhoon Omar, compared
to $98.2 million for cleanup and repair after Andrew.

* Education: $103.3 million including $10 million to lengthen the
school day while parents attend to hurricane recovery, and $40 million in
college aid to those whose eligibility changed in the storm.

* Commerce: $11.9 million, most of which repairs Weather Service
facilities and relocates facilities at Miami Airport used for
hurricane-hunter airplanes.

* Federal Emergency Management Agency: $1.924 billion, including $208
million for emergency housing, $203 million in grants to replace uninsured
household goods, $52 million in extra unemployment insurance, $350 million
for debris removal, $210 million to restore Florida public buildings
including four hospitals and 60 schools.

* Health and Human Services: $84 million including $18 million for
rodent control and vaccines, $24 million to replace Head Start, runaway and
mental health centers.

There also was $34 million to repair National Park facilities, most of
it at Everglades and Biscayne in South Florida, $36 million to house
prisoners from two Dade County facilities that were wrecked and repair the
prisons, and $11.5 million to rebuild the Miami Coast Guard radio station.

Mr.  Chiles said the president did not provide enough for
small-business loan guarantees, cleanup assistance or family grants.

"We're going to try to show [our needs] to the White House, to [the
budget office], as well as the Congress, and hope that they will do right
by us," Mr.  Chiles said.


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