For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 17, 2001
President's Letter on Emergency Appropriations Act
Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives
October 17, 2001
Dear Mr. Speaker:
In accordance with provisions of Public Law 107-38, the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist
Attacks on the United States, FY 2001, I ask the Congress to consider
expeditiously the enclosed proposals, totaling $20 billion, to enable the
Government to continue to provide assistance to the victims of the
September 11th attacks and to deal with the consequences of the attacks.
Public Law 107-38 -- legislation crafted and enacted with strong
bipartisan cooperation -- provided a total of $40 billion in emergency
funding to the Emergency Response Fund. The $40 billion in
emergency expenses enacted in Public Law 107-38 was provided to assist
victims of the attacks and to deal with other consequences of the
attacks, including the costs of: (1) providing Federal, State, and
local preparedness for mitigating and responding to the attacks; (2)
providing support to counter, investigate, or prosecute domestic or
international terrorism; (3) providing increased transportation
security; (4) repairing public facilities and transportation systems
damaged by the attacks; and (5) supporting national security.
As required by Public Law 107-38, on September 18th, I designated
the entire $40 billion as an emergency funding
requirement. Today, I hereby request and designate these
individual proposals as emergency funding requirements pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended. In addition, I hereby
designate the funds in or credited to the Defense Cooperation Account
during FY 2002 as emergency requirements pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A) of such Act.
I am proud that we have continued to work together with
such bipartisan spirit in the weeks following the despicable
attacks on our Nation. Since final estimates of the total
resources needed to address the consequences of this tragedy will not
be known for months to come, I urge the Congress to enact -- without
delay -- these specific requests that address immediate, near-term
needs and that represent currently defined and certain requirements.
My Administration does not intend to seek additional supplemental
funding for either domestic or defense needs for the remainder of this
session of Congress. If further requirements become clear,
we will work with the Congress to address additional needs in the
Second Session of the 107th Congress. In addition, we will
assess the manner in which our FY 2003 Budget will address further
needs as they relate to the September 11th terrorist attacks.
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,
GEORGE W. BUSH
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