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White House, New Yorkers Haggle Over Relief Funds
Friday, November 9, 2001
(6:21 PM ET)
By Vicki Allen / Reuters

New Yorkers have a list of immediate needs to repair subways and other infrastructure and provide help for the battered economy. They say a promise for money down the road is not good enough.

WASHINGTON -- Reuters
The White House was expected to negotiate with New York lawmakers through the weekend to avert a showdown over the demand for $20 billion in relief the delegation said President Bush promised after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Republican Rep. John Sweeney said on Friday he and his New York colleagues planned to offer an amendment through the House Appropriations Committee next week. Sweeney's amendment would add $11 billion to the $40 billion in overall emergency spending Congress and Bush agreed to after the attacks on New York and Washington.

New York's congressional representatives said the additional money was needed to fulfill Bush's $20 billion commitment to New York's recovery efforts.

Bush's plan would only provide $9 billion for New York, they said, with the rest paying for the war in Afghanistan, transit security and other national needs.

"I understand the administration's position as it relates to overall spending. But that having been said, a commitment has been made," Sweeney told Reuters in a telephone interview.
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2001 © Reuters.

Dan