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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release May 6, 1999

     VICE PRESIDENT GORE ANNOUNCES $5.7 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FUNDS
            TO HELP WORKERS DISLOCATED BY KANSAS TORNADOES

Nearly $2 Million Will be Available Immediately to Help in the Clean

Up Effort

Wichita, KS -- Vice President Al Gore announced today that Kansas will receive $5,731,224 in emergency funds to help workers who lost their jobs as a result of the tornadoes that struck the state this week.

Nearly $2 million of the funds will be awarded immediately to provide temporary jobs to help with the clean up and restoration efforts of the affected communities. Early estimates indicate that at least that at least 30 businesses were damaged or destroyed as a result of Tuesday's tornadoes, including the total destruction of Norland Plastics in Haysville, KS, the town's primary employer with a full-time payroll of 234 workers.

"I know that these tornadoes have taken quite a toll on the people of Kansas," Vice President Gore said. "And I am keeping them in my prayers during this difficult time. But I also want them to know that the Federal government is available to help them start rebuilding their neighborhoods and their lives."

The grant is authorized under emergency provisions of Title III of the Job Training Partnership Act to fund special temporary jobs to benefit the public and help dislocated workers resume their regular employment. The program will assist workers in counties declared disasters. Participants will work for up to six months with public or private non-profit agencies to help with clean-up, repair and restoration efforts.

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