Statement by Senator Harkin on President's Approval of Flood Relief Support

Statement

Statement by Senator Harkin on President's Approval of Flood Relief Support

U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D - IA) today made the following statement about President Bush's approval of the Supplemental Spending Bill which, among other domestic priorities, would allocate $2.65 billion for the federal agencies tasked with providing support for the recent disasters. In an effort to ensure that affected states are getting help, Harkin, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, brought together a coalition of bipartisan Midwestern Senators to fight for funding for areas impacted by natural disasters this year. Harkin has received assurances that another Supplemental funding package may be brought up this year to include more disaster funding for Iowa and other states.

"President Bush took the right step today by approving our first push for vitally needed disaster relief for Iowa and the other Midwestern states suffering from the recent destruction. These funds are an initial down payment on what Iowa will need to recover from this historic disaster," said Harkin. "With specific numbers of losses and needs being developed, there is another push for federal assistance that should be considered by the Congress in a few short weeks, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and the President to secure the support needed to rebuild our communities, infrastructure, and economy."

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