Office of Management and Budget

Office of Management and Budget
News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2001-53

President Bush Releases $1.7 Billion in Emergency Funds to Provide for the
Security and Humanitarian Needs Related to the Attack on America

National Guard, Sky Marshals, and International Food and
Economic Assistance Programs Among Recipients

Washington, DC, October 23, 2001 -- President George W. Bush today released $1.7 billion from the Emergency Response Fund to provide for the humanitarian and security needs related to the attack on America. This latest installment from the $40 billion emergency response fund brings the total amount released to $8.8 billion. A $20 billion funding request that requires congressional action was sent to Congress on October 17, 2001 and is under consideration.

The $1.7 billion will be used by the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, State, and Transportation; International Assistance Programs; and the Broadcasting Board of Governors to address immediate consequences of the attacks. These include funding for: the use of National Guard personnel and additional sky marshals to provide increased airport security; food assistance programs in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as other neighboring countries; economic assistance to Pakistan; counterterrorism activities; and national security operations.

Of these funds, $1.6 billion will become available to transfer to agencies 15 days after this designation is forwarded to Congress and $71.4 million will be made available to the Department of Defense without further congressional review. Meanwhile, the Administration is working with Congress to ensure that the $20 billion in emergency funding requested on October 17th will be enacted quickly so that recovery from the attacks can continue without interruption.

OMB will continue to work with the agencies to determine additional needs.

Status of Disposition of $40 Billion Emergency Response Fund:

Emergency Response Fund
Immediate Release ($10 billion)
Fifteen-Day Release ($10 billion)
Pending Legislation ($20 billion)

Amount Released
$7.2 billion
$1.6 billion
$20 billion requested

Amount Remaining
$2.8 billion
$8.4 billion
none

* * * * *

Allocation of Emergency Funding by Agency

Available Immediately:

*Department of Defense (DOD) -- Military*	$71,400,000
These resources will provide for increased situational awareness ($41.4 million) and the initial costs of National Guard personnel to provide airport security ($30.0 million).
Available After 15 Days: *Department of Agriculture* Foreign Agricultural Service P.L. 480 Grants	$22,000,000
These funds will be used to purchase and deliver food to vulnerable people inside Afghanistan, as well as potential new refugees in Pakistan and other neighboring countries.
*Department of Defense (DOD) -- Military*	$1,098,000,000
These resources will provide funding for: increased situational awareness ($438.0 million); improved command and control ($210.0 million); National Guard personnel providing airport security ($175.0 million); offensive counterterrorism ($140.0 million); increased worldwide posture -- mobilization of National Guard and Reserve personnel ($70.0 million); repair of the Pentagon ($41.0 million); enhanced force protection -- Winter Olympics security ($20.0 million); and initial crisis response -- Pentagon security ($4.0 million).
*Department of State* Administration of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic and Consular Programs Capital Investment Fund Other International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INL)	$55,000,000 $7,500,000 $73,000,000
These resources include: for Diplomatic and Consular Programs, $30.0 million to hire new Diplomatic Security agents, $15.0 million for a large-scale public diplomacy media outreach effort to Muslim audiences abroad, $4.0 million for emergency medical supplies, $1.0 million for Counterterrorism Foreign Emergency Support Team (FEST) equipment, $3.0 million for an international component in next Top Officials (TOPOFF) training in biological terrorism simulation, and $2.0 million to provide 12 new positions for the Office of the Special Coordinator for Counterterrorism; for INL, $73.0 million to improve Pakistani border security by providing helicopters, vehicles, fuel, night vision goggles, communications equipment, training, and border post communications; and $7.5 million to replace existing outdated secure phones.
*Department of Transportation* Federal Aviation Administration Operations Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund	$141,000,000 $50,000,000
These resources will provide funding for additional air marshals ($141.0 million) and reimbursement for air carriers’ post-September 11th incremental costs of war risk insurance ($50.0 million).
International Assistance Programs Agency for International Development (AID) Operating Expenses Disaster Assistance International Security Assistance Economic Support Fund International Development Assistance, Multilateral Assistance International Affairs Technical Assistance Peace Corps	$2,000,000 $20,000,000 $100,000,000 $3,000,000 $3,900,000
These resources include: $2.0 million for security improvements for overseas AID personnel; $20.0 million for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan; $3.0 million to provide training and other needed expertise to foreign governments to combat terrorist financing; and $3.9 million to evacuate Peace Corps volunteers. These funds also include $100.0 million for assistance to Pakistan to provide economic support.
*Broadcasting Board of Governors* International Broadcasting Operations	$12,250,000
These funds will be used to increase the agency’s Voice of America broadcasts in Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Dari, and Urdu and its Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts in Arabic, Farsi, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Azeri.

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