[House Document 105-355] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 105th Congress, 2nd Session - - - - - - - - - - House Document, 105-355 EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANE GEORGES __________ COMMUNICATION from THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES transmitting FROM THE PRESIDENT, REQUESTING EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE REPAIR OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANE GEORGES, PURSUANT TO PUB. L. 105-277December 19, 1998.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed -------- U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 69-012 WASHINGTON : 1998 The White House, Washington, December 17, 1998. The Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sir: In accordance with provisions of P.L. 105-277, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, I hereby request the following: Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers--Civil: Operation and maintenance, general.................. $99,700,000 Flood control, Mississippi River and tributaries.... 2,500,000 These funds will help repair damage caused by Hurricane Georges, which resulted in navigation problems in Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. I hereby designate the above requests as emergency requirements pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. The details of these actions 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, William J. Clinton. Enclosure. Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC, December 17, 1998. The President, The White House. Submitted for your consideration are requests to make available emergency appropriations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Your approval of these requests would make available previously appropriated funds to repair damage caused by Hurricane Georges. P.L. 105-277, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, provided a total of $102.2 million for the Corps of Engineers, contingent upon the President submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the entire amount requested as an emergency requirement. None of these funds have yet been designated as an emergency requirement and made available. These requests would make the entire $102.2 million available to help the Corps of Engineers restore harbors and navigational channels to their authorized depths in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. This restoration will allow these regions and the Nation to realize the economic benefits of these harbors by returning them to their full level of commercial activity. I recommend that you designate the amounts listed on the enclosure as emergency requirements 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 Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works in recommending that you make the requested funds available by signing the enclosed letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sincerely, Jacob J. Lew, Director. Enclosure. Emergency Appropriations: Amounts Previously Appropriated Made Available by the President Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers--Civil: Operations and maintenance, general................. $99,700,000 Flood control, Mississippi River and tributaries.... 2,500,000 Public Law 105-277, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, provided a total of $102,200,000 to the Corps of Engineers, contingent upon the President submitting a budget request to the Congress and designating the entire amount requested as an emergency requirement. None of these funds have yet been designated as an emergency requirement and made available. The entire $102,200,000 in contingent funding is required to repair damage caused by Hurricane Georges. These resources will allow the Corps of Engineers to dredge harbors and navigation channels to their authorized depths so that these harbors can be returned to their full levels of commercial activity. This will allow the Nation and the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, to realize the full economic benefits of these harbors.