White House Says It Has Enough Relief Funds in Near Term, Congress Ends Recess to Consider Emergency, Longer-Range Aid
The White House says it has sufficient funding in the short term for the hurricane relief effort in a 90,000-square-mile area encompassing New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast, but administration officials already have begun discussing a possible supplemental request for longer-range recovery needs.
Congressional lawmakers were expected to return to Washington a few days early from their summer recess, originally set to end on Sept. 6, to consider emergency funds and longer-range aid. The House was scheduled to reconvene on Sept. 2 and the Senate was expected to meet late on Sept. 1.