Bush releases funds to repair Pentagon

President Bush on Friday released $5.1 billion in emergency funds to repair the Pentagon, buy new federal office space in New York, hire more air marshals and beef up security at federal buildings around the country. The funds represent the first installment of the $40 billion emergency supplemental funding passed by Congress after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Of the $5.1 billion package, the Federal Emergency Management Agency got $2 billion to support its rescue and recovery operations in New York. President Bush gave $776 million to the Defense Department to repair the Pentagon, while the Transportation Department netted $141 million to pay for more air marshals and improved airport security. The Treasury Department received $48.4 million to create a new center to track the assets of foreign terrorists and to buy office space for the roughly 1,000 Treasury employees displaced by the attacks on the World Trade Center complex. More than $8 million will go to improve security at Energy Department laboratories and at the U.S. Capitol. Under the rules of the supplemental bill, President Bush may divvy up the next $5 billion as he sees fit. The Office of Management and Budget must submit a detailed spending plan to the House and Senate Appropriations committees to access the second $10 billion. The final $20 billion will be allocated through fiscal 2002 appropriation bills, or through another emergency appropriation bill. Agencies must meet strict criteria from OMB to tap into the emergency funds. For a complete list of the agencies getting new funding from the $5.1 billion, click here