Friday, September 2, 2005  New Orleans Disaster Related stories FEMA accused of misusing trained disaster workers as public-relations workers FEMA official in New Orleans blasts agency's response Parts of New Orleans flood again Were New Orleanians caught in political crossfire? Navy helping New Orleans pets Bush calls for expanding Federal authority Red Cross is not in New Orleans for Katrina, Guard raced it to Superdome Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina causes upwards of $12bn of damage; oil prices surge At least 55 killed by Hurricane Katrina; serious flooding across affected region Hurricane Katrina strikes Florida, kills seven Tropical Storm Katrina threatens Florida, Bahamas Superdome refuge center Other links Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans Hurricane Katrina The United States Senate has cut short their summer recess and has arrived in Washington to approve a $10.5 billion aid bill to victims of Katrina as requested by President George W. Bush. The United States House of Representatives is expected to pass a similar bill later today. Bush has told Congress he will ask for more funds in the coming weeks. Most of the money will go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the rest will go to the Pentagon which is dispatching ships to the area. Bush has also asked his father, former President George H.W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton to help raise private funds for relief like they did for the December 2004 tsunami in Asia. Over two dozen nations, some with assets in the area, have offered aid to the city of New Orleans, but President George W. Bush has refused any aid from foreign nations which does not take the form of cash. Reuters. "U.S. Senate approves $10.5 bln for hurricane aid" — Reuters AlertNet, September 1, 2005 "US Congress provides 10 billion dollars for Katrina victims" — Deccan Herald, September 2, 2005 Associated Press. "Two dozen nations offer aid" — Star Tribune, September 1, 2005 WashingtonWatch.com. "A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, to meet immediate needs arising from the consequences of Hurricane Katrina, and for other purposes" — WashingtonWatch.com, September 2, 2005 Public domain Public domain false false
{'wiki_source': 'wikinews', 'other_info': "{'content_model': 'wikitext', 'language': 'en', 'title': 'US Senate approves $10.5 billon in aid for Hurricane Katrina victims', 'type': 'text'}"}