House Appropriations Committee report (H.Rpt. 107-298) for Dept. ...
House Appropriations Committee report (H.Rpt. 107-298) for Dept. of Defense (DoD) funding bill (HR-3338) was approved 216-211 by voice vote on floor Wed. night, paving way for $1.8 billion in HUD-administered community development block grants for N.Y. Telcos, broadcasters…
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and any businesses affected by Sept. 11 terrorist attack on World Trade Center (CD Nov 29 p9) can compete for grants. Some members of N.Y. delegation reiterated concern that report shortchanged city’s disaster recovery efforts and contradicted promise by President Bush to provide N.Y., Va. and Pa. with half of $40 billion emergency supplemental funds. Although Rules Committee agreed to attach block grant amendment by Rep. Walsh (R-N.Y.) to report, it restricted ability of other members to submit amendment that would codify provision of emergency funds approved by White House slated for N.Y. However, several members from around nation resented attempts to reserve large chunk of appropriations for N.Y., pointing out that entire nation was affected by attacks. Rep. Miller (D-Cal.) said Walsh amendment’s focus on needs of N.Y. jeopardized emergency unemployment funds for affected workers nationwide: “We cannot let that be the legacy of this Congress. We cannot help the victims of New York by creating victims in [other states] where hundreds of thousands of people are unemployed because of the layoffs.” Report, which contains DoD and non-DoD emergency funding beyond what Bush already had signed, also has provision that designates $8.25 million in NTIA grants for public broadcasters whose infrastructure was lost in lower Manhattan. Rep. Burr (R-N.C.) said he appreciated challenges faced by broadcasters affected by tragedy, but questioned wisdom of giving stations millions of dollars when they hadn’t found sites for replacement towers: “For this reason, I think it is only appropriate that NTIA refrain from granting this money to the designated stations until a proper site is secured to construct a replacement tower. I urge the NTIA to use its expertise and planning resources to help New York broadcasters with any engineering and technical decisions about the placement of the new tower. However, any actual grant of these monies should occur only after such a tower is located.” Appropriations Committee Chmn. Young (R- Fla.) concurred: “The NTIA shall make the funding available to the stations as soon as the most appropriate location of the replacement tower is secured.”