| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Jenny Manley
(202)224-6404 |
| April 14, 2005 |
Contact:Margaret Wicker
(202)224-6414 |
COCHRAN ANNOUNCES EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL CONFERENCE AGREEMENT
Senate-House Conferees Agree to Bill Providing Additional Funding for Hurricane Katrina Recovery and the Global War on Terror
WASHINGTON – Members of the Senate-House Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Conference Committee today approved legislation that would provide $94.5 billion in funding for hurricane recovery efforts and the Global War on Terror. $19.8 billion is provided for disaster recovery efforts. An additional $70.4 billion will be made available to the Departments of State and Defense for the ongoing war efforts.
“I am pleased that members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees have reached an agreement to provide additional funds to the states struggling to recover from the hurricanes of 2005 and to our troops fighting in the Global War on Terror,” said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS). “We have worked hard to ensure that the interests and needs of the hurricane-affected regions are met and that funds to support our national security efforts are provided in a timely manner. I hope that President Bush will sign this bill as soon as possible so that assistance can be made available to those that need it.”
Hurricane Recovery
Department of Agriculture
- $51 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program
- $25 million for the Community Facilities grant program to fund repairs and construction of community facilities
Department of Commerce
- $128 million for the National Marine Fisheries Service to provide technical assistance to States and industry for oyster bed and shrimp ground reseeding, rehabilitation and restoration, and to undertake cooperative research to monitor the recovery of Gulf fisheries.
- $20 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Science Center in Pascagoula – to complete the repair and reconstruction
Small Business Administration
- $542 million for SBA Disaster Loans (all hurricane-affected states are eligible to receive a portion of these funds)
Department of Defense
- $775 million for Navy Shipbuilding & Conversion
- $154 million for Mississippi military construction activities, including:
- $44.7 million for Seabees
- $103.5 million to Keesler Air Force Base for planning and design of construction projects
- $5.8 million to the Mississippi Air National Guard in Meridian and Gulfport
NASA – $35 million
- A portion of these funds will be provided to the Stennis Space Center and the NASA Shared Services Center for costs associated with Hurricane Katrina
Armed Forces Retirement Home
- $176 million for reconstruction of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport. A total of $221 million has been provided through supplemental appropriations for the complete reconstruction of this facility.
Department of Education
- $235 million for K-12 schools serving displaced students
- $50 million in grants to institutions of higher learning that were affected by Hurricane Katrina
- $15 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Department of Health and Human Services
- $4 million for an emergency communications network for Mississippi community health centers
- $8 million for mosquito abatement through the Centers for Disease Control
- $38 million for reconstruction of damaged Social Security Offices in the Hurricane Katrina affected areas
Department of Homeland Security
- $103.9 million for the Coast Guard’s shipbuilding program on the Gulf Coast
- An additional $300 million in loan authority is provided through the Community Disaster Loan program for county and municipal operating expenses
- Funding is included to relocate the Gulfport Coast Guard facility to the west side of the Port of Gulfport and away from the small craft harbor.
FEMA Disaster Relief Fund – $6 billion
- $400 million is provided for a pilot project to determine alternative sources of emergency housing. FEMA is directed to develop and implement an intermediate term housing solution for the Gulf Coast Region. The pilot study will determine whether this approach provides a better, safer, and more cost effective housing solution than the use of travel trailers
Department of Labor
- $14 million for the reconstruction of the Gulfport Job Corps center
National Park Service
- $43 million for historic preservation activities, a portion of which shall go to Mississippi
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- $5.2 billion for Community Development Block Grants (all hurricane-affected states are eligible to receive a portion of these funds)
Corporation for National and Community Service
- $10 million for the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps
Department of Veterans Affairs
- $36 million for remediation of the VA Hospital in Gulfport and for transfer of possession of the property to the City of Gulfport
Global War on Terror
Department of State – $2.5 billion
- $1.5 billion for programs and activities to enhance and improve security, economic opportunities and political stability for the people of Iraq.
- $1.4 billion for diplomatic and consular programs for U.S. Embassy operations and maintenance, and security in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- $66 million for democracy programs and activities for Iran.
- Also included is $43 million for assistance for Afghanistan; $50 million for assistance for Jordan, a key ally in the Middle East; $110 million for assistance for refugees, which is $59 million above the request; $178 million for peacekeeping operations, including $126 million to sustain the African Union Mission in Sudan.
Department of Defense - $65.7 billion
This bill provides $65.7 billion to support Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, the same level as the budget request. This funding is provided to ensure that resources, equipment, and supplies are available for our service members without interruption. It will enable the Defense Department to avoid absorbing incremental operating costs from within baseline programs that are critical to future readiness and home-station activities.
Military Personnel: $10.3 billion
- Provides funding for pay and allowances for the Active, Reserve, and Guard Components of the Armed Forces supporting the Global War on Terror.
- Includes $375 million to support additional recruiting and retention incentives for the military services.
Operation and Maintenance: $37.9 billion
- Funds are provided for continued military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to include: ground operations, flying hours, ship steaming days, aircraft, ship and vehicle maintenance, logistics support, civilian personnel, and transportation.
- Provides $538.5 million for body armor and personal protection equipment.
- Provides $94.1 million for service member and family support programs to include: counseling, child care, support to the severely injured, and transition assistance for separating service members.
- Provides $4.9 billion for the Afghanistan and Iraq Security Forces Funds to train and equip Afghan and Iraqi Security Forces and assist their governments in assuming greater responsibility for their nation’s security.
- Provides approximately $2.0 billion for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund.
Procurement: $15.0 billion
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation: $710.7 million
Other Programs:
