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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 19, 1994

            PRESIDENT CLINTON CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR
                        AREAS AFFECTED BY FLOODS

At the President's request today, the United States Department of Agriculture asked the Congress to provide an additional $73 million in emergency assistance to help rural areas in the southeast affected by the recent flooding.

"The people in the flooded areas face a difficult task in recovering from this major disaster," the President said. "Our first priority is to help them get their lives in order. These funds will help farmers to clear their property and get their operations running again. They will also help elderly, low income homeowners to restore their damaged homes."

The funds include $15 million in low income housing repair grants, $25 million in emergency farm loans, $10 million in emergency assistance grants to repair community water supply facilities and the transfer of $23 million in existing funds to the Emergency Conservation Program.

The funds would be provided as a supplemental appropriation for 1994. The Senate is expected to consider the request today.

Last week the President declared that a major disaster exists in the states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida following severe storms and flooding caused by tropical storm Alberto. After visiting some of the affected areas last Wednesday, the President announced nearly $90 million in federal flood recovery assistance for the affected southeast states. Today's request would bring the total to approximately $163 million in relief.

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