THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Today, the President is making available an additional $1.2 billion in emergency funding to support anti- and counter-terrorism activities, to provide assistance to aid in the recovery from recent natural disasters, and to support other emergency needs. These funds were provided in the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, which the President signed into law on Wednesday, October 21.

The funds made available today will support the following emergency activities:

• $434 million will support anti- and counter-terrorism requirements in the wake of the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. These funds, together with funds previously designated as emergency requirements by the President, make available a total of over $2.3 billion for anti- and counter-terrorism activities;
• $288 million will support repair and rebuilding of Department of Defense facilities damaged by flooding in Korea and by Hurricanes Bonnie, Earl, and Georges, and will reimburse the American Red Cross for a portion of the costs incurred for disaster relief in response to Hurricane Georges;
• $511 million will support other emergency needs, including the Northeast fisheries emergency, activities of the Defense Health Program, Coast Guard activities, assistance to the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union, and child survival and health assistance in developing countries.

In addition, $130 million was released for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Block Grant Program, provided from Public Law 105-174, the FY 1998 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations and Rescissions Act. These funds will enable the Department to assist communities affected by Presidentially declared natural disasters designated during FY 1998, including New England, California, Florida, and a number of other States affected by Presidentially declared natural disasters during FY 1998.

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