In the wake of the series of hurricanes that struck the South, President Bush has asked Congress for an additional $7.1 billion in federal assistance to help the storm-battered states rebuild.

Cleanup work continues in Gulf Shores, Ala. (FEMA photo by Jocelyn Augustino)

The proposal, sent to Congress on Sept. 27, is Bush's third emergency funding request since Sept. 6. Congress quickly approved the first $2 billion and a follow-up $3.1-billion installment is pending.
As with the earlier requests, the Federal Emergency Management Agency would receive the biggest share of the latest proposal, $4.5 billion. FEMA would use the money to make payments to individuals and to clean up debris and reconstruct infrastructure.

The Dept. of Transportation would get $600 million for emergency highway repairs, and the Dept. of Defense would receive $889 million to repair military hospitals, clinics and housing for military families.

In addition, $81 million would go to the Corps of Engineers to clear navigation channels and rebuild coastal areas, and $132 million would go to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the Coast Guard, Bureau of Prisons, Forest Service and Federal Aviation Administration to repair a variety of damaged facilities.

The White House also included $50 million for overseas hurricane damage, including aid to Grenada, Jamaica and Haiti.