THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary _______________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release May 2, 1995 President Requests Emergency Funds For Oklahoma City President Clinton has asked the Congress to provide $142 million in emergency funding to meet urgent needs created by last month's bombing in Oklahoma City and to implement his new anti-terrorism initiative. "The magnitude of the tragedy in Oklahoma demands that we provide these emergency funds as quickly as possible," the President said. The President asked that the $142 million be allocated to five major agencies -- the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -- and the Judiciary. Specifically, the President requested: o $71 million for the Department of Justice to fund immediate requirements in Oklahoma City as well as other anti-terrorism efforts. These funds would cover expenses related to investigating the bombing; establishing a Domestic Counter-terrorism Center; providing replacement facilities and equipment for employees displaced by the bombing; and covering other related efforts. o $26 million for GSA to fund emergency expenses related to the bombing, including funds for demolishing the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building; leasing, furnishing, and equipping replacement office space; and providing increased security and heightened security precautions in Federal buildings across the Nation. o $24 million for the Department of the Treasury to fund immediate requirements in Oklahoma City and other anti-terrorism efforts. These funds would cover expenses related to investigating the bombing; establishing four National Response Teams; providing replacement facilities and equipment for employees displaced by the bombing; and funding other related efforts, including enhanced security at the White House. o $7 million to enable FEMA to help increase Federal, State, and local preparedness for mitigating and responding to the consequences of terrorism. o $3 million for HUD to provide replacement facilities and equipment for employees displaced by the bombing, and to enhance security at the HUD building in Washington, D.C. o $10 million that the Judiciary requested to provide enhanced security for judges and support personnel. The President designated the $142 million in fiscal year 1995 spending as an emergency under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. Although the emergency designation frees the President and the Congress of the requirement to offset the costs of these funds, the President proposed to offset this spending fully through cuts in other programs. # # #