White House set to submit $950 million tsunami relief request

The White House is expected to announce a $950 million supplemental aid request for tsunami relief and reconstruction, congressional aides said Tuesday, though the formal submission to Congress is not expected until Monday.

That would come on top of $80 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for a total fiscal 2005 supplemental request of $81 billion as outlined in President Bush's fiscal 2006 budget request.

The $950 million tsunami aid package includes almost $600 million for U.S. Agency for International Development relief and reconstruction efforts, such as water and road-building needs, in addition to $350 million previously pledged. A smaller amount will be provided to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to expand its tsunami early warning and detection system.

The announcement comes as House and Senate appropriators put the finishing touches on a committee reorganization plan, which includes eliminating the VA-HUD, Legislative Branch and District of Columbia subcommittees.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., who has yet to formally sign off on the proposal, will discuss the matter with committee Republicans Thursday, but sources said he is leaning towards accepting it.

The Veterans Affairs Department would move to a new panel containing Military Construction funds and about $39 billion in Defense spending accounts, including health, environment and sustainment, restoration and modernization funds.

HUD would move to the Transportation-Treasury panel, along with District of Columbia funds and the federal judiciary, which moves from the Commerce-Justice-State panel. The Commerce-Justice-State subcommittee would gain jurisdiction over NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Legislative Branch accounts would be funded by the full House and Senate Appropriations panels under the proposal, while some Interior subcommittee energy programs would be absorbed by the Energy and Water panels.

Interior would gain jurisdiction over EPA accounts.