Haley Stevens: “this emergency supplemental would provide an additional $983.6 million for disaster relief and emergency assistance. It…”

“this emergency supplemental would provide an additional $983.6 million for disaster relief and emergency assistance. It is estimated that the disaster relief fund will exhaust its current funding by the end of July 2003 in part due to higher-than-expected costs for disaster relief, including funding for tornadoes and winter storms. These additional resources are needed to continue to provide necessary emergency assistance. With respect to the firefighting funds requested by the President, I am pleased to announce that we have an agreement with the administration on funds to continue our battle against fires, particularly in the West and Alaska. The administration has informed me it remains committed to the President's request for emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and recovery efforts. Their commitment to continue to pursue enactment of the full request when we return in September is paramount to the challenges we face.”