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4527961
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Relief Act, Guatemala Disaster
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4527961
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document
title
Relief Act, Guatemala Disaster
description
This file contains White House prints and publications.
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Roland L. Elliott Files (Ford Administration)
Roland Elliott's Correspondence Enclosures and Supplies Files
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Guatemala
U.S. House of Representatives. (03/04/1789 - )
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1976-02-29
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1976
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1976-02-01
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 43, folder "Relief Act, Guatemala Disaster" of
the Roland L. Elliott Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
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copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
94th Congress, 2d Session
House Document No. 94-376
GUATEMALA DISASTER RELIEF ACT
MESSAGE
FROM
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TRANSMITTING
A DRAFT OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE FOR
RELIEF AND REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE TO THE VIC-
TIMS OF THE EARTHQUAKES IN GUATEMALA, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
FEBRUARY 19, 1976.-Message and accompanying papers referred to the
Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed
-
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
57-011
WASHINGTON : 1976
GERALD
To the Congress of the United States:
On February 4th a devastating earthquake struck Guatemala. That
earthquake, together with its aftershocks, has left over 22,000 dead,
more than 75,000 injured, and one million homeless.
The United States has a special responsibility to help meet the
urgent needs in Guatemala. Immediate aid has already been extended
by U.S. agencies, both public and private, including:
-Emergency shelters, medical supplies and food provided by the
Agency for International Development.
-Transportation and medical facilities provided by the Depart-
ment of Defense.
SHTATE
-Food distribution, medical services, and other disaster relief activ-
ities provided by numerous private voluntary agencies.
Last week I dispatched my Special Coordinator for International
Disaster Assistance-AID Administrator Daniel Parker-to Guate-
mala for a firsthand review of the situation. He has now reported to
me and to Congressional Committees on the extent of damage and
need. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have passed
resolutions expressing sympathy for the people of Guatemala in their
hour of distress and urging development of a comprehensive U.S.
response. The Secretary of State will visit the Republic of Guatemala
on February 24 to express further our support for the people of
Guatemala.
I am now proposing urgent and specific action to turn these expres-
sions of sympathy into tangible assistance. The proposed $25 million
"Guatemala Disaster Relief Act of 1976" which I am sending herewith
represents an immediate humanitarian response of the United States
to the victims of this tragedy who have been injured or have lost their
relatives, their homes and possessions, and in many cases their very
means of existence.
This legislation, and the ensuing appropriation, will enable us to
respond to the human tragedy in Guatemala. Our response will reflect
America's concern for the people of Guatemala.
GERALD R. FORD.
THE WHITE HOUSE, February 19, 1976.
(1)
4
GERALD
II.D. 376
A BILL To provide for relief and rehabilitation assistance to the victims of
the earthquakes in Guatemala, and for other purposes
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may
be cited as the "Guatemala Disaster Relief Act of 1976".
Section 2.-The President is authorized to provide assistance, on
such terms and conditions as he may determine, for the relief and
rehabilitation of the people who have been victimized by the recent
earthquakes in the Republic of Guatemala. Such assistance may be
provided in accordance with the policy and general authorities appli-
cable to or available for the furnishing of assistance under section
491, relating to international disaster assistance, of the Foreign As-
sistance Act of 1961, as amended.
Section 3.-There is authorized to be appropriated to the President
to carry out the purposes of this Act $25,000,000 for the fiscal year
at
1976, which amount is authorized to remain available until expended.
to
Obligations heretofore incurred against other appropriations or ac-
counts for the purpose of providing relief and rehabilitation assist-
ance to the people of Guatemala may be charged to the appropriations
authorized pursuant to this Act.
Section 4.-Not later than ninety days after enactment of appropri-
to
ations to carry out this Act, and on a quarterly basis thereafter, the
President shall transmit reports to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and to the
Speaker of the House of Representatives on the programming and
obligations of funds under this Act.
(3)
have
S
(I)
of
GERALD
4
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSED GUATEMALA DISASTER
RELIEF ACT OF 1976
I. INTRODUCTION
The major purpose of the proposed Guatemala Disaster Relief Act
of 1976 is to provide authorization for appropriations for disaster
relief activities necessitated by the recent severe earthquakes in the
Republic of Guatemala. The bill would create a separate and discrete
authorization specifically intended to deal with this major disaster.
II. PROVISIONS OF THE BILL
Section 1.-This section provides a short title for the bill, "Guate-
mala Disaster Relief Act of 1976".
Section 2.-This section authorizes the President to provide relief
and rehabilitation assistance for the people of Guatemala who have
been victimized by recent earthquakes on such terms and conditions
as he may determine. The section incorporates by reference the policy
and general authorities applicable to the furnishing of disaster assist-
ance pursuant to section 491 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961,
as amended, including the clause "Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of this or any other Act" of that section which is designed to
facilitate the rapid implementation of international disaster assistance
programs. Section 3.-This section authorizes the appropriation of $25 million
for fiscal year 1976 on a "no year basis" to carry out the purposes of
the Act and provides that obligations previously incurred for the
purposes of providing relief and rehabilitation assistance to the people
of Guatemala as a result of the recent disaster are authorized to be
charged to the appropriations authorized by this Act.
Section 4.-This section provides for reports to the Committee on
Foreign Relations and Committee on Appropriations of the Senate
and to the Speaker of the House of Representattives no later than 90
days after enactment of appropriations to carry out this Act and on
a quarterly basis thereafter setting forth the programming and
obligation of funds under the Act.
+
GERALD
II.D. 376