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HOUSE PASSES WAR ON TERRORISM AND DISASTER ASSISTANCE SUPPLEMENTAL
 
March 16th, 2006 - -
President’s Request:                     $92.220 billion
Committee Recommendation:     $91.939 billion
 
 
Fighting the Global War on Terrorism and Supporting the Troops
Major Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives:
(Burton):  Provides additional resources for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement programs. 
(Capuano):  Adds $50 million for state department peacekeeping programs
(Taylor):  Adds $56 million for certain military construction projects
 
The supplemental provides $67.6 billion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, roughly the same as the total budget request. 
 
Supporting our Troops
  • Armored Humvees and Tracked Vehicles—The supplemental makes modifications to the request in order to get the safest, most effective armored vehicles to the troops in the field, including the National Guard, in the most timely manner possible.   The bill adds and earmarks $850 million over the request to ensure that Army tracked combat vehicles such as Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles are upgraded and available to National Guard units deploying to combat regions and troops currently in the field.  In addition, the committee earmarked an additional $480 million over the request for newer, safer up-armored Humvees for a total of $890 million.  These vehicles provide a higher level of troop protection than their retrofitted counterparts and are more rapidly and readily available to assist troops in the field.    
  • Preventing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) Attacks—The bill fully funds the nearly $2 billion request to procure and develop countermeasures to prevent IED attacks on our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
  • Life Insurance and Combat Death Gratuity--The Supplemental fully funds the recently enhanced $400,000 life insurance benefits for service members and $100,000 death gratuity for combat related fatalities.  These additional benefits are a small but appropriate response for soldiers who have given their life in service to their country. 
  • Commander Emergency Response Fund—The bill includes $423 million as requested to allow military commanders in the field to conduct small scale, urgent reconstruction projects.  This project originated from a Congressional earmark initiated by Members who had traveled to Iraq and heard the needs on the ground from the field commanders. 
Iraq and Afghanistan Security Forces Training
The bill fully funds the Administration’s request to train and equip security forces of Afghanistan and Iraq, for a total of $4.85 billion.  The committee deferred $1 billion of the  request for various infrastructure construction projects related to security training activities in the region because they were not well justified.  These funds cannot be expended until the Congress receives a comprehensive plan for the expenditure of the funds. 
 
Oversight of Military Spending
The Committee provided a more than five-fold increase for the Department of Defense’s Inspector General to monitor war expenditures. 
 
Click here to view a table which provides a summary by account of the committee recommendations. 
 
Aiding our Allies in the Global War on Terror
 
Total Foreign Assistance
The bill provides $4.1 billion, $270 million below the request, to assist our international allies in the global war on terror, promote democracy worldwide and provide humanitarian relief to stricken areas.  In general, funds were not provided for activities that were not emergency in nature or not executable in fiscal year 2006. 
  • Iraq Stabilization Projects—The bill provides $1.6 billion for various stabilization and local governance projects in Iraq. 
  • Diplomatic Security and Operations—The diplomatic mission in Iraq is funded at the requested level of $1.1 billion, $736 million of which is for enhanced security measures. 
  • Oversight of Taxpayer Funds—Ongoing investigations by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction and the State Department’s Inspector General are funded at $25 million to continue audits of the expenditures of taxpayer funds. 
  • AfghanistanThe committee did not fund the bulk of the Administration’s request for Afghanistan because the Secretary of State has not certified that the country is cooperating fully with the U.S. funded poppy eradication and interdiction efforts.
  • SudanThe recommendation includes $253 million to sustain the African Union peacekeeping mission and eventual transition to an international security force.
  • Emergency Food Assistance--$350 million is provided as requested to provide emergency international food assistance through the P.L. 480 program. 
  • Promotion of Democracy in Iran—The committee did not fund the $75 million requested by the Administration for the promotion of democracy in Iran because it was poorly justified.  Instead, $56 million was provided through proven, existing programs that will have an immediate, positive impact on the fostering of democratic ideals in Iran. 
Disaster Assistance
 
President’s Request:                  $19.8 billion
Committee Recommendation:     $19.2 billion
 
FEMA Disaster Relief
The bill provides $9.55 billion, $150 million above the request, for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund.   These funds are used for a variety of disaster recovery and relief activities including debris removal, reimbursing state and localities for infrastructure repairs, and assisting individuals and families impacted by disasters.  
 
Oversight of Taxpayer Funds
The bill requires FEMA to provide better reporting of the expenditures of disaster assistance funds as well as the specific methodologies used to allocate funds.  The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security is provided $13.5 billion to continue to conduct audit and investigations of disaster assistance.   The Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development receives $15 million to monitor the administration of disaster assistance funds provided through the Community Development Block Grant program and $7 million is provided to the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute fraud cases. 
 
Community and Economic Development
To address long-term recovery and restoration for hurricane devastated areas, $4.2 billion is provided through the Community Development Block Grant, the same amount as requested.  Not less than $1 billion of these funds are earmarked for the repair and reconstruction of affordable rental housing.  The Committee did not include a state-specific earmark for this assistance as requested by the Administration. 
 
Levee Repair and Flood Control Projects
The bill provides the requested amount of $1.46 billion for various flood control projects and levee repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers.  All these funds are contingent on the enactment of a comprehensive authorization plan that will govern the criteria and standards for the specific projects.  Funds are included for the following:
n       $100 million restore wetlands around New Orleans to minimize future storm damage.
n       $530 million to modify the 17th Street, Orleans Avenue and London Avenue drainage canal and install permanent pumps and closure structures. 
n       $250 million for storm proofing interior pump stations to ensure their operability during disaster conditions. 
n       $170 million for armoring critical elements of the New Orleans storm damage reduction system. 
n       $350 million to improve protection at the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal
 
Military Disaster Assistance Efforts
The bill provides $1.15 billion for various costs sustained by Department of Defense disaster assistance and recovery efforts, $250 million below the request.  The bill makes a modest reduction, $250 million from the request, in the Navy’s shipbuilding program because estimates and possible reimbursements for damage to shipbuilding facilities from private insurance companies have not yet been determined.  In addition, $240 million is provided to repair hurricane damage at military facilities, $214 million below the request. 
 
Veteran’s Medical Facility
The bill includes $550 million to rebuild a Veterans’ medical facility in New Orleans, $50 million below the request.  
 
Other Provisions
§     Prohibits DP-World from purchasing an American subsidiary company that is involved in the operations of certain U.S. ports. 
§     Allows $750 million of contingency LIHEAP provided in the recently enacted budget reconciliation package to be available for FY06 and FY07. 
§     Provides the Secretary of the Veteran’s Administration the authority to use up to $275 million of the VA funds in the bill to avert a shortfall in the VA medical services program.   
Prohibits previously appropriated funds to be use to support the Palestinian Authority unless the Secretary of State certifies that certain conditions are met.
 
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« previous Press Release next Press Release »
 
March 2006 Press Releases  « February   April »     « 2005   2007 » 
Committee on Appropriations 29th - Opening Statement of Chairman Harold Rogers, Subcommittee on Homeland Security
Committee on Appropriations 16th - current Press Release
Committee on Appropriations 10th - Chairman Lewis statement on DP-World Development
Committee on Appropriations 9th - Opening Statement of Chairman Harold Rogers, Subcommittee on Homeland Security
Committee on Appropriations 8th - Highlights of the War on Terrorism and Disaster Assistance Supplemental
Committee on Appropriations 8th - Dubai Ports World Amendment
Committee on Appropriations 6th - Appropriations Oversight Hearing Schedule for 3/6/06-3/10/06
Committee on Appropriations 2nd - Opening Statement of Chairman Jim Kolbe




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