President Frees $4.9 Billion in Quake Aid

WASHINGTON — President Clinton on Thursday signed a bill that frees up $4.9 billion in earthquake aid to California.

The disaster aid was contained in a so-called recisions bill that cut $16 billion in federal spending from previously approved appropriations. The recisions package had been held up for months over partisan bickering between Congress and the White House over what programs should be cut.

The bill contained $6.7 billion in supplemental funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Most of that money is earmarked for California earthquake and flood damage and will be used to repair hospitals, schools, sewers and other large public structures.

“The budget-cutting in this bill is exactly the kind of thing we should be doing, cutting $16 billion in spending from this year’s budget, cutting unnecessary spending but maintaining our commitment to education, to health care, to the environment,” Clinton said at a signing ceremony.

“At the same time, the Congress has voted for funds that will help the people of California finish the work that has to be done to recover from the earthquake.”

Despite the political wrangling over the recisions, the earthquake aid was never in jeopardy and FEMA officials said the delay in approving the funds would cause no disruption in earthquake aid efforts.