THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Vice President
VICE PRESIDENT GORE HIGHLIGHTS U.S. ASSISTANCE TO HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN RESPONSE TO HURRICANE GEORGES
Washington, DC -- Vice President Gore today highlighted Administration efforts to help the victims of Hurricane Georges in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The federal government will deploy three C-130 aircrafts, departing from New York today, to provide supplies to hurricane victims.
"While nothing can erase the pain this devastating hurricane has caused so many families in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, this assistance will help them begin to rebuild their lives," Vice President Gore said. "I want to assure these families that the federal government will stand by to offer as much assistance as needed to get these communities back on their feet."
The federal assistance includes:
Three C-130 aircrafts to bring humanitarian relief to the victims of Hurricane Georges in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. A U.S. delegation headed by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator J. Brian Atwood, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Andrew M. Cuomo, and Peace Corps Director Mark Gearan are in the Dominican Republic and Haiti to survey relief efforts and announce additional recovery efforts. 100,000 metric tons of wheat, valued at $10 million donated by the Agriculture Department to the Dominican government. Authorized under the President's Food Aid Initiative, the proceeds of these sales will be used for reconstruction and development projects. In addition to directing the Defense Department assistance, the
Vice President also coordinated with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to facilitate the transportation of these relief supplies.
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