FY2010 Supplemental for Wars, Disaster Assistance, Haiti Relief, and Other Programs

Amy Belasco, Coordinator
Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget

Daniel H. Else
Specialist in National Defense

Bruce R. Lindsay
Analyst in Emergency Management Policy

Rhoda Margesson
Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy

Kennon H. Nakamura
Analyst in Foreign Affairs

Maureen Taft-Morales
Specialist in Latin American Affairs

Curt Tarnoff
Specialist in Foreign Affairs

The Administration requested $64.0 billion in FY2010 supplemental appropriations:

• $5.1 billion to replenish the U.S. Disaster Relief Fund administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA);

• $33 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) primarily for deploying 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan and $4.5 billion in war-related foreign aid to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan;

• $2.8 billion for Haiti earthquake-related reconstruction and foreign aid;

• $243 million for activities related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill;

• $13.4 billion to compensate veterans exposed to Agent Orange;

• $600 million for border security; and

• $3.4 billion to settle two federal cases: trust claims of American Indians (Cobell) and $1.2 billion to pay for discrimination claims of 70,000 black farmers (Pigford II) case.

On March 23, 2010, the House passed H.R. 4899, the Disaster Relief and Summer Jobs Act with $5.1 billion to replenish FEMA's Disaster Assistance Fund, and $600 million for a Labor Department summer jobs program. Including $600 million in rescissions, this bill required $5.1 billion in new appropriations. (Rescissions cancel previously appropriated budget authority which then offsets the amount of new budget authority—BA —that needs to be appropriated.) On May 26, 2010, the House Appropriations Committee (HAC) Democratic majority proposed a draft bill with $85.7 billion in funding, including $31 billion in additional domestic spending primarily to prevent layoffs of teachers, law enforcement personnel and firefighters and add more funds for Pell grants. Reflecting $900 million in rescissions, this bill would have required $84.8 billion in new BA. The May 27 markup of that bill was cancelled.

On May 27, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 4899 by a vote of 67-28, with $59.6 billion in funding for disaster assistance, war funding, Haiti relief, and VA benefits, but with no additional domestic spending, and without the $4 billion for the two court cases, which were in H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. With rescissions, the Senate version required $59.4 billion in new budget authority.

On June 30, 2010, the House Democratic majority leadership posted another draft with $75.3 billion in spending for disaster assistance, war funding, Haiti relief, VA benefits, and $14 billion in additional domestic spending, primarily to prevent teacher layoffs and provide more Pell Grants. With $11.7 billion in rescissions, that bill would require $63.7 billion in new BA. House floor action is expected before the July 4 recess.

The Defense Department, the State Department, FEMA, and the court plaintiffs have all cited funding deadlines in May and June, but there may be flexibility in these dates. On June 16, Secretary of Defense Gates called for passage of the supplemental before the July 4 recess. Relying on all available funding, DOD may cover its war costs until at least the end of July. Responding to concerns that the Coast Guard would run out of money for its oil spill response activities by mid-June, the House and Senate passed S. 3473 making up to $1 billion available. FEMA has $952 million available for disasters because it has only paid claims for urgent needs.


Date of Report: June 30, 2010
Number of Pages: 92
Order Number: R41232
Price: $29.95

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