View Header

THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                         (Aboard Air Force One)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                        May 3, 2000
           PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES A MAJOR DISASTER EXISTS 
                         IN THE STATE OF KANSAS

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Kansas and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and tornadoes on April 19-20, 2000.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in a three county area. The counties include Crawford, Labette, and Neosho.

Assistance can include disaster housing, grants, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

James L. Witt, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), named Louis H. Botta as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

The Agency said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional assistance and counties may be added after the assessments are completed.

###