Dateline: June 22, 2006

House directs USDA on Texas wildfire relief

WASHINGTON, DC - The House of Representatives today gave its final approval to an Emergency Supplemental spending bill.  The vote was 351 to 67.

The bill focuses on providing needed resources for troops engaged in fighting the War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It also includes additional funds for relief and reconstruction of the Gulf region affected by last year’s hurricanes and communicates Congress’s intent that any unused agricultural assistance for hurricane relief be used to provide assistance for Texas wildfire losses involving livestock.

The exact language contained in the measure is as follows:

While the assistance provided by this title is limited to producers in areas affected by Gulf Coast hurricanes in 2005, the conferees fully recognize the losses suffered by farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in all parts of the nation.  At such time as may be reasonably determined by the Secretary, the conferees direct the Department to apply any unused funds from this title, and any unused funds from the May 10, 2006 announcement (71 Fed. Reg. 27188) relating to 2005 Section 32 Hurricane Disaster Programs to respond to disaster-related events including wildfires in Texas and other states, drought, flooding in Hawaii and other states, and other natural disasters.

“As with most pieces of legislation, this bill is not exactly the way I would like it,” Thornberry said.  “But my primary goal is to get help to those who need it as soon as possible, and this bill helps do that.  I’ll continue to work closely with USDA to see that the livestock losses from wildfires get covered.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has previously provided more than $8 million for a cost-share program that helped agricultural producers rebuild or repair fences destroyed in the fires, in addition to assistance provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other government agencies pursuant to the Presidential disaster declaration.  The Supplemental spending bill includes funds to replenish FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Thornberry expressed his appreciation to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and especially to Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Henry Bonilla and his staff who worked to include the directive.