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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 15, 1994

            CLINTON ADMINISTRATION APPROVES AN ADDITIONAL $17 
                 MILLION FOR FLOOD RECOVERY IN THE SOUTH 

     Two days after President Clinton toured Southeastern Georgia and

announced his approval of more than $60 million in federal flood recovery assistance for Georgia, Florida and Alabama, Transportation Secretary Federico Pena, Small Business Administrator Erskine Bowles and Federal Highway Administrator Rodney Slater returned to Georgia to outline more than $17 million in additional assistance for the three states.

The three officials toured Georgia at the direction of President Clinton who Wednesday committed his Administration's continued presence in the region. Secretary Pena and Administrator Bowles will report to Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt upon their return.

Secretary Pena announced that Georgia would receive an additional $5 million in Transportation funds and Alabama an additional $2.5 million. Florida will be allocated $2.5 million. This new assistance brings the total Department of Transportation flood relief funding for the three states to $22.5 million.

"We want the vital transportation system in the Southeast to recover as quickly as humanly possible," Secretary Pena said.

The SBA disaster program has accepted more than 112 SBA loan applications, eleven of which have already been approved. The first four disaster assistance checks will be disbursed in Albany, Georgia today -- four days after the opening of the disaster centers.

"Our commitment is 100 percent. Such rapid response by our field workers indicates how serious the SBA is about helping Georgia's small business owners victimized by the flood," Administrator Bowles said.

In addition, the Department of Labor today released $4 million for the State of Florida and $3 million for the State of Alabama to provide approximately 1100 dislocated workers with jobs assisting in clean-up, repair and restoration following the flooding. The grants, authorized under Title III of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), will provide a number of services including assessment, job search assistance, temporary job creation, and support services, such as day care assistance, transportation assistance, and emergency health care.

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