Order Code RS22239
September 7, 2005
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for
Hurricane Katrina Relief
Jennifer E. Lake
Domestic Social Policy Division
Ralph M. Chite
Resources, Science, and Industry Division
Summary
In response to the widespread destruction brought to the Gulf Coast by Hurricane
Katrina, the 109th Congress completed action on a $10.5 billion emergency supplemental
bill (P.L. 109-61, H.R. 3645), as requested by the Administration. The President
submitted the request on September 1, 2005. Both chambers approved it within 24
hours, and it was signed into law on September 2, 2005. Of the amount provided, $10
billion is for the ongoing efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) to provide emergency food, shelter, and medical care to flooded regions; $500
million is for the Department of Defense to defray the cost of deploying military
personnel to the region for rescue and relief, and for other response costs. The
Administration has stated that additional requests for supplemental funding will be made
in the weeks ahead, as loss and recovery estimates become available. This report will
be updated as events warrant.
Overview1
Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States on August 29, 2005,
causing widespread flooding and significant property and infrastructure damage to
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. In response, the 109th Congress completed action
on an emergency supplemental appropriation bill (P.L. 109-61, H.R. 3645) that provides
$10.5 billion in FY2005 funding to areas stricken by the disaster. The President submitted
the request for the emergency supplemental on September 1, 2005. Both the Senate and
the House quickly took action on the measure. The Senate passed the request by
unanimous consent the evening of September 1, 2005. The House approved the bill by
voice vote on September 2, 2005, and the President signed it into law the same day. P.L.
109-61 provides $10 billion in FY2005 funding for the Department of Homeland
Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and $0.5 billion for the
1 Other CRS analysts contributing to this report were Keith Bea (FEMA) and Amy Belasco
(Defense).
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

---

CRS-2
Department of Defense (DOD) to support the costs of evacuation, emergency repairs, and
deployment of personnel, and other costs resulting from the immediate relief efforts.
P.L. 109-61 is anticipated to be the first of several emergency supplemental
measures, with the next request likely to be submitted within a few days. The President
has indicated that he will make additional requests for emergency funding as soon as
reliable estimates of hurricane damage can be completed and a more comprehensive
assessment of required resources is available.
Breakdown of Enacted Supplemental Spending

FEMA. Of the $10.5 billion in supplemental funding provided by P.L. 109-61, $10
billion is directed to FEMA to administer relief to the areas affected by the hurricane.
These funds are derived from the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), administered by FEMA.
The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296) transferred the authorities and
functions previously carried out by FEMA to DHS and charged the Secretary of
Homeland Security with the responsibility for administering these activities. The
Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate (EPR) of DHS, which includes
FEMA, has primary responsibility for activities authorized by the Stafford Act.2
DHS uses DRF funds to provide assistance to individuals, families, state and local
governments, and certain nonprofit organizations, as authorized by the Stafford Act.
Stafford Act aid is available after the President issues a declaration that federal assistance
is needed to supplement the resources of states and localities that are overwhelmed by
particularly significant catastrophes.3 Federal assistance supported by DRF money is used
by states, localities, and certain nonprofit organizations to provide mass care, restore
damaged or destroyed facilities, clear debris, and aid individuals and families with
uninsured needs, among other activities. In response to Hurricane Katrina the President
has issued major disaster declarations for Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.4
Amounts are appropriated to the DRF during the annual appropriations process to
provide an available source of funding for disaster relief expenditures. For FY2005,
Congress appropriated $8.5 billion to the DRF. This amount included $6.5 billion in
supplemental disaster relief funding (P.L. 108-324) after Hurricanes Charley, Frances,
Ivan, and Jeanne struck Florida and other states in the U.S. in the summer of 2004.5 For
the FY2006 Department of Homeland Security appropriation, the President requested and
both the House and Senate recommended, comparable funding of approximately $2
2 The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.
3 For more information on the Stafford Act and the DRF, see CRS Report RL33053, Federal
Stafford Act Disaster Assistance: Presidential Declarations, Eligible Activities, and Funding, by
Keith Bea.
4 For information on Hurricane Katrina, including the disaster declarations, see U.S. Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), “Hurricane Katrina Information,” at [http://www.
fema.gov/press/2005/resources_katrina.shtm], visited Sept. 2, 2005.
5 For more information, see CRS Report RL32581, Supplemental Appropriations for the 2004
Hurricanes and Other Disasters, by Keith Bea and Ralph M. Chite.

---

CRS-3
billion for the DRF.6 (Final action on the FY2006 DHS appropriations bill (H.R. 2360)
is pending.)
Table 1. FY2005 Supplemental Appropriations in Response to
Hurricane Katrina, Administration’s Initial Request, and P.L. 109-61
($ in millions)
Administration
Provided by
Federal agency/account
Request
P.L. 109-61/H.R. 3645
Department of Defense (DoD)
Operations and Maintenance, Defense-Wide
500
500
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR)
Disaster Relief Fund
10,000
10,000
Total:
10,500
10,500
Source: President’s Request for Emergency Supplemental Funding in letter to the Speaker of the House
dated September 1, 2005; and H.R. 3645.
See [http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/amendments/supplemental_9_1_05.pdf].
Defense. P.L. 109-61 also provides $500 million to the Department of Defense
(DOD) for emergency evacuation of military and civilian personnel, debris removal, and
emergency repairs at over 20 defense installations affected by the hurricane, and for
DOD’s operational costs in evacuating, rescuing, and providing relief supplies to civilians
in New Orleans and elsewhere. Damage at defense installations ranges from minor
damage to fences and roofs to wholesale damage to facilities in New Orleans and
Mississippi. Two of the damaged facilities — the Naval Supply Activity in New Orleans
and the Army ammunition plant in Mississippi — are recommended for closure by the
Department of Defense in the ongoing Base Realignment and Closure round.7
The DOD funds are appropriated to Operation and Maintenance, DOD-wide with
special transfer authority allowing DOD to move the monies to other accounts depending
on the type of expense (e.g., to pay military personnel costs, operating costs, procurement,
family housing, and Defense Health). The congressional defense committees are to be
notified in writing of transfers within five days. Additional requests are anticipated for
military construction if new buildings need to be constructed as well as other expenses.
These funds do not pay for the cost of activating National Guard forces, which are
currently being borne by the states.
The DOD funds are appropriated to Operation and Maintenance, DOD-wide with
special transfer authority allowing DoD to move the monies to other accounts depending
on the type of expense (e.g., to pay military personnel costs, operating costs, procurement,
family housing, and Defense Health). The congressional defense committees are to be
notified in writing of transfers within five days. Additional requests are anticipated for
military construction if new buildings need to be constructed as well as other expenses.
6 For more information, see CRS Report RL32863, Homeland Security Department: FY2006
Appropriations, coordinated by Jennifer E. Lake, and Blas Nuñez-Neto, pp. 49-53.
7 Final recommendations to the President from the base closure commission are due on
September 8, 2005.

---