House Approves Wartime Supplemental

April 4, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, voted late last night to approve a wartime supplemental appropriations bill that will provide key funding for our troops fighting in Iraq and important homeland security efforts here at home. The legislation was approved by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, 414-12. The Senate also passed its own version of the bill last night. The two versions will now be reconciled and sent to the President for his signature.

"As our troops continue to wage a courageous battle to liberate the Iraqi people, this vote shows them they have our strong support," Dreier says. "This bill provides our military with vital resources needed to successfully complete Operation Iraqi Freedom. It also recognizes the needs of our first responders as they work to secure our cities and states. High risk areas like the Los Angeles region will receive additional funding because of the significant costs they incur in responding to our heightened state of alert."

The version of the supplemental passed by the House last night provides $62.409 billion for military activities in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and $4.2 billion for Homeland Security. Specifically, the bill includes:

• $59.7 billion for the Operation Iraqi Freedom Response Fund;
• $1.4 billion to support our coalitions partners;
• $2.2 billion for grants to First Responders through the Office of Domestic Preparedness, $700 million of which is to address security requirements in high threat, high density urban areas with critical infrastructure, such as Los Angeles;

Dreier noted that much of the homeland security funding sent to states since 2002 have not made it to first responders because it has not been distributed by state officials. He expressed his hope that by requiring 80 percent of the first responder grants go directly to local governments, these funds would be distributed as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"Now that we're sending federal dollars out to the states, it's up to them to get organized and distribute these funds to municipal, county, and tribal governments as expeditiously as possible. The funding won't do anybody any good if the people that need it don't get it from the states."