Billions more in disaster aid sought
White House request doesn’t include Irene costs
WASHINGTON – The White House told Congress on Thursday there’s a need for more than $5 billion in additional disaster relief money, not even counting the billions that probably will be called for to help East Coast states hit by Hurricane Irene.
The administration also said that under the terms of last month’s budget deal, Congress can provide more than $11 billion in disaster aid next year without finding offsetting budget cuts as demanded by some Republicans. The budget pact contains a little-noticed provision providing the flexibility in disaster spending.
Many lawmakers were unaware of the disaster aid provision when voting for the budget pact last month. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has said additional disaster funding should be paid for by cutting spending elsewhere in the budget
Before Thursday, the Obama administration had requested just $1.8 billion for the government’s main disaster relief agency, generating complaints from lawmakers that billions more are needed to help states rebuild from past disasters like hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav and the massive Tennessee floods of last spring, as well as for Joplin, Mo., and the Alabama towns devastated by tornadoes last spring.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has less than $800 million in its disaster relief fund to pay for the immediate assistance needed to help victims of the flooding and wind damage from Irene through the end of September. The aid account is so low that new rebuilding projects have been put on hold to help victims of Irene and future disasters.
The White House says it’s monitoring the situation to determine if money will be needed before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, but it’s not requesting any at this time.
“There is no question, however, that additional funds will be required to assist the thousands of Americans affected by Hurricane Irene, on top of the $5.2 billion identified under current law to properly fund known disaster needs for fiscal year 2012,” White House budget director Jacob Lew said in a letter sent to top lawmakers Thursday evening.
There seems to be little hope, however, that the FEMA funding bill – and the money to replenish disaster accounts – will be enacted by the Oct. 1 deadline.
A battle over whether to require offsetting spending cuts, despite the $11.5 billion in new funding permitted under the budget pact, may take a while to resolve.