Letter to the Speaker of the House
April 15, 2003

In accordance with provisions of Public Law 107-73, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Develop-ment, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, I hereby request and make available $250 million for the disaster relief program of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

These funds would allow DHS to continue providing assistance for disasters in several States, including the recovery of the Columbia space shuttle and the damaging winter storms on the East Coast. These funds also would be available for ongoing response to prior disasters and to ensure that DHS has resources on hand to provide timely response to future disasters.

I designate these funds made available today as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended.

The details of this action are set forth in the attached letter from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. I concur with his comments and observations.

END