US govt Katrina spending may only be $100 bln-aide

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N26118305.htm

US govt Katrina spending may only be $100 bln-aide


WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - U.S. government spending to repair Hurricane Katrina damage may turn out to be just half of early estimates, or about $100 billion, the Senate Majority Leader's chief budget aide said on Monday.

Bill Hoagland, who works for Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Frist, also said congressional leaders would shortly ask lawmakers to find additional spending cuts to help pay for hurricane disaster aid, but added: "It's going to be tough."

At a conference on Katrina reconstruction, Hoagland said an estimate frequently cited on Capitol Hill that federal recovery costs would hit $200 billion "has no basis in analysis."

He warned that Congress, which in six days this month approved $62.3 billion in emergency aid to Gulf Coast states, should be more careful before rushing through another disaster assistance package that the White House is expected to request in October.

[Bob3]

1. In other words - this won't endager any pork or tax cut

so all you good people can relax. Just like Iraq that will pay for itself.

This is new - this means he's lying to his base now. I wonder how they are going to take it when they find out the little shit was just blowing smoke.

[louis-t]

2. Govt's Katrina Spending May Be Only $100 bln-aide

Anyone surprised?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. government spending to repair Hurricane Katrina damage may turn out to be just half of early estimates, or about $100 billion, the Senate Majority Leader's chief budget aide said on Monday.

Bill Hoagland, who works for Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Frist (news, bio, voting record), also said congressional leaders would shortly ask lawmakers to find additional spending cuts to help pay for hurricane disaster aid, but added: "It's going to be tough."

The rate of government spending so far was slower than anticipated, Hoagland said. So far, just $16 billion of the emergency government aid actually had been allocated, he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050926/ts_nm/katrina_spending_dc

[VegasWolf]

3. Our FUCKING Bridge to NOWHERE is fine!!! nt

[gulfcoastliberal]

4. Meanwhile another $400 bln+ goes to Iraqnam

At least we're takin good care of them Iraqis! Hey, 250,000 rounds per kill is expensive!

[Inland]

5. Another bullshit number from a bullshit adminstration. nt

[Blaq Dem]

6. Bush's Friends - $100 billion....Actual Hurricane Victims - $0.00

People from the Katrina Hurricane are still not being helped by the Red Cross. They can't even get in contact with them by phone. What will happen is these people will be forgotten and Bush's friends will run away with all the money. Typical. Look at Iraq.

[daleo]

7. In other words - they don't intend to rebuild most of the city.

They think they can't afford it - i.e. the rich won't give up any of their precious tax cuts, even in a national emergency. Other powers will take not of this. It is a sign of a power in decline.