SD Commissioners Ask Congress To Restore $4 Billion In Disaster Aid

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PIERRE (AP) - Representatives of the Oahe District of the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners want Congress to restore $4 billion in disaster aid that was cut from the federal budget earlier this month. The Oahe District represents Hughes, Hyde, Hand, Stanley and Sully counties.

The $4 billion in drought disaster aid was cut on June 7 from a $94.5 billion compromise spending bill for the Iraq war and hurricane relief. The spending cut was criticized by Midwestern senators from the Republican and Democratic parties who blamed members of the U.S. House and the Bush administration for opposing the aid package.

The resolution proposed by the Oahe District notes that the five-county region is suffering from its fifth year of drought conditions, causing the total loss of the wheat crop in much of the area and diminished possibilities for successful corn and sunflower harvests.

Bill Floyd, chairman of the Sully County Commission, said the damage caused by the lack of rainfall has extended to livestock owners. The drought has hurt grazing resources in pastures and damaged forage crop production. "We have to add the needs of cattle owners into the resolution," Floyd said. "Stock dams are being depleted and drying up, and owners may have to sell some cattle in their herds due to a lack of feed."

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