Bush Approves $11.1 Billion in Hurricane Aid
President Bush on Wednesday night signed legislation providing a record $11.1 billion in emergency aid to states battered by Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki and to assist the territory of Guam, damaged by Typhoon Omar.
Bush signed the package of grants, loans and other assistance at his Camp David, Md., retreat, five days after it cleared the House and Senate on voice votes.
Of the total, $10.6 billion is earmarked for disaster programs run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and several other agencies, Bush noted in a statement.
The package contains $6.3 billion in spending, and authority for the government to make or back $4.8 billion worth of loans.
It also provides $500 million in urban aid to distressed cities in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 and $3.5 billion for costs related to the Persian Gulf War.
The bill will pay for everything from rebuilding wrecked schools to lending money to owners of destroyed homes. However, it contains only a small fraction of the money Bush wanted to rebuild Homestead Air Force Base in Florida, which bore the brunt of Hurricane Andrew.
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