HR3645SEP2

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending September 2, 2005

HR 3645 Supplemental Spending for Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief.

BRIEF

A handful of Congresspersons returned from August break five days early to address passage of an emergency supplemental bill to begin disaster relief for New Orleans and the US Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Fifty-two counties in Mississippi have been identified as eligible for disaster declarations; thirty-two parishes in Louisiana; six counties in Alabama. The President has waived cost-sharing requirements normally put on States for assistance.

The supplemental is off-budget spending as provided for by law when disaster spending is required. The funds, $10.5 billion, are expected to be the first of three spending requests for hurricane relief. $500 million from this supplemental will be spend to replenish funds and resources reportedly provided by the Department of Defense and the $10 billion will be distributed through the Department of Homeland Security for a wide variety of aid.

To put spending on this disaster into perspective FEMA is reported to have had about $2.5 billion in the bank as of August 29 and is expected to spend $500 million to $750 million daily on assistance to the victims. But FEMA is not the only agency receiving funds.

Defense is authorized to spend the half billion on "emergency hurricane expenses, to support costs of evacuation, emergency repairs, deployment of personnel, and other costs resulting from immediate relief efforts, to remain available until September 30, 2006." The resolution also provides that the Secretary of Defense is given the authority to transfer the funds to appropriations for military personnel, operation and maintenance, procurement, family housing, Defense Health Program and working capital funds' and can merge those funds with existing funds in the categories the Secretary transfers them to. the Secretary is motivated to spend or transfer all funds because another provision would require him to return money not spent. The Secretary must notify Congress of any transfers. It is not clear if funds allocated to Defense can be spent in authorized categories but on non hurricane-related assistance in those categories.

Homeland Security gets the lion's share to 'remain available until spent'. The funds are to be used to "reimburse Federal agencies for providing the relief effort..." Among the most immediate agencies to receive the funds are the US Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development.

Comments during discussion of the bill noted the following as of Friday, September 1, 2005:

Life-Saving Efforts

Over 3,000 people have been rescued by the United States Coast Guard and other operations. The Coast Guard has deployed 57 aircraft and 27 cutters.

More than 25 urban search and rescue task forces are operating with 1,800 personnel.

More than 50 National Disaster Medical System teams have deployed to deal with medical needs.

1,700 trucks have been mobilized to supply water, ice, food, medicine, and medical supplies.

450 buses are moving people out of the affected areas in Louisiana.

Over 78,000 people are in shelters across the region.

13.4 million liters of water and 3.4 million pounds of ice have been shipped to the impacted areas.

Electricity/Energy

2.3 million citizens are without power in the Gulf Coast States.

Gasoline and diesel fuel is being routed to emergency personnel and services first.

The Department of Energy has authorized the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The Environmental Protection Agency has temporarily waived standards for gasoline and diesel fuels to make sure that more fuel is available for emergency services. {Editor's Note: Gasoline and diesel fuels are blended differently to limit different levels of pollution in differently populated locations around the country as well as different pollution levels due to seasonal influences on air quality. This waiver would temporarily allow more polluting fuels to be sold when fuel is needed regardless of air quality standards}

Military

State and local law enforcement and the National Guard are working to restore order throughout the affected areas.

13,000 National Guard are stationed in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida, under control of the Governors. Approximately 6,000 members of the National Guard are stationed in Mississippi.

The total number of National Guard is expected to increase to more than 20,000 by Friday.

The Department of Defense has sent eight Navy ships to the area, including a hospital ship with 100 beds and 800 medical personnel.

The Department of Defense has provided over 20 million ready-to-eat meals.

Infrastructure

The Army Corps of Engineers is coordinating efforts to repair levees in New Orleans and remove water from the city.

Federal and State departments of transportation are working to repair and reopen highways and interstates.

Interstates 55, 59, 49, and 20 have been reopened in Mississippi. Interstate 10 is open with one lane of traffic for emergency vehicles only.

Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services has declared a public health emergency in the affected areas.

A network of 40 medical shelters with 10,000 beds is staffed by 4,000 medical personnel.

2,600 beds have been identified in the immediate area, with 40,000 more beds nationwide.

Agriculture

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service is providing shelters and mass feedings sites and issuing emergency food stamps and infant formula. Over 80,000 pounds of commodities arrived in New Orleans today.

Other

The Internal Revenue Service announced special relief for taxpayers in the disaster areas.

The Small Business Administration will position loan officers in disaster recovery centers to help small business owners.

The American Red Cross is providing a safe haven for nearly 46,000 evacuees in more than 230 shelters across the region.

The Environmental Protection Agency has temporarily waived standards for gasoline and diesel fuels to make sure that more fuel is available for emergency services.

No information was given regarding who is providing the 450 buses to transport Super Dome evacuees and how much taxpayers are paying for that service. Funds could be State tax dollars or may be included in future supplementals.

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent (Sept. 1, 2005). Passed House by voice vote (Sept. 2, 2005)Signed by President Bush into law as PL 109-61, September 2, 2005.

Cost to the taxpayers: $10.5 billion.