Haley Stevens: “Today, the Senate approved $70 million for disaster assistance and $25 million for refugee assistance, a total of $95…”

“Today, the Senate approved $70 million for disaster assistance and $25 million for refugee assistance, a total of $95 million to Sudan. This is an amount the House approved and the level the State Department informed our staff was necessary to carry the much needed food and other support for Darfur through spring of next year. This is the amount they efficiently execute and use in this year. In the spring, the State Department, with USAID and the U.N., will reassess the situation and determine if additional emergency funds are requested. We have already declared an emergency for Sudan for $95 million. If we approved Senator Biden's amendment, this will be above the $188 million that State and USAID have already pledged for the 2005 funds. These funds will be allocated in the 2005 Foreign Operations bill, not this bill. In other words, we have added $95 million for disaster assistance from this Defense appropriations bill on an emergency basis to the Sudan.”