Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on Supplemental Assistance Requests for Iraqi Refugees

The President today transmitted to Congress a request for FY 1991 supplemental appropriations for the Department of State and the Agency for International Development (AID) and language provisions for the Department of Defense. The requested funds and provisions are for humanitarian assistance efforts for refugees and displaced persons in and around Iraq as well as for peacekeeping activities.

The proposed language provisions would permit transfer from the Persian Gulf Regional Defense Fund to the Department of Defense for the incremental costs of humanitarian assistance.

In addition, the supplemental requests $123.5 million for the Department of State and $27 million for the Agency for International Development for assistance for refugees and displaced persons as well as for peacekeeping activities. The State Department and AID requests would be financed through transfers of interest earned on balances in the Defense Cooperation Account. Contributions of foreign governments would not be used.

These supplemental requests would be exempt from statutory spending limits because they are incremental costs associated with Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.