Statement on the Tornado Disaster in Georgia

Today I spoke with Governor Zell Miller to express my concern over the tornado that hit Georgia early this morning. Hillary and I are deeply saddened to learn of the individuals who lost their lives in this tragic disaster.

I have asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to add the counties of Hall, White, Habersham, Dawson, and Rabun as disaster areas to the existing disaster declaration I issued for Georgia on March 11th. This action will allow victims of this tragedy to apply for Federal funds. I have also asked FEMA Director James Lee Witt to lead a Federal team to Georgia to inspect the damage and report back to me.

Labor Secretary Alexis Herman has approved a grant of up to $3 million to assist workers who lost jobs. The money will help to create temporary jobs to assist in clean-up, repair, and restoration efforts. In addition, FEMA has begun working on a long-term recovery plan for Georgia.

I want to assure the people of Georgia that this administration is committed to ensuring a speedy recovery from this tornado. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this extraordinary natural disaster.