WASHINGTON, DC -- The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a bill providing an emergency down-payment for Rhode Island and other states hit hardest by flooding this year.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Appropriations Committee, added critical funding in the Fiscal Year 2010 Supplemental Appropriations bill to help Rhode Island recover from historic flooding. He also secured language that would save Rhode Island millions of dollars by mandating a local match of 10%, instead of the standard 25% match required by the state.

"We have a long road to recovery and this is a good first step. It is a down payment to help Rhode Island recover and will significantly reduce the burden on the state to match the federal relief aid. We are also fully funding FEMA to allow them to meet their obligations to Rhode Islanders who have been hit hardest by the floods," said Reed. "I will continue working hard with Chairman Inouye, my colleague in Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, and Senator Whitehouse on this bipartisan effort to ensure Rhode islanders get the help they need."

"Since the historic floods in March, I've been all over our state to view the damage first hand and hear from homeowners and businesses about their needs," said Whitehouse. "Today's action by the Senate Appropriations Committee is a key step toward delivering much needed additional assistance to help Rhode Islanders get back on their feet. I look forward to working with Senator Reed to ensure passage of this assistance package by the full Senate."

The Appropriations Committee emergency spending bill includes:

• $100 million in Community Development Block Grants that may be utilized by Rhode Island and Tennessee, which was also recently hit hard by flooding.

• $49 million in Economic Development Assistance grants that may be utilized by Rhode Island and Tennessee.

The bill also includes $5.1 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund and $217 million to fund flood prevention and recovery efforts by the Army Corps of Engineers. Rhode Island could receive an estimated $10 to $15 million in federal assistance from the Corps to help repair flood damage and prevent future flooding.

The Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to approve the spending measure.