Bush gets Seattle damage report

From CNN's Major Garrett

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (CNN) -- President Bush received an extensive summary Thursday of damage in Seattle from Washington Gov. Gary Locke and the director of federal relief efforts, Joe Allbaugh.

During a tour of Lakewood Elementary School here, Bush told reporters he spoke with Locke after arriving in Little Rock on Wednesday evening. The president also said he spoke with a 10-year-old girl Locke was with at the time Bush reached him.

"The governor asked me to speak to her," the president said. "She was one of the children who was close to earth shaking and got underneath the desk like she was supposed to and gave me a description of what it was like and I told her how proud I was that she was so brave."

White House aides said the federal government would provide all necessary relief funds in spite of proposed reductions in spending for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The president's budget seeks a reduction from $2.4 billion in 2001 to $2 billion in 2002.

Aides said the president's budget set aside contingency funds for unexpected government spending, specifically $1.2 billion in a national emergency reserve fund meant to pay for new disaster costs.

Bush also brought welcome news to Arkansans, bringing a promise that the federal government will pay 100 percent of the costs of cleaning up debris left behind by massive ice storms this winter. The announcement drew hearty applause.

See related sites about Politics

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.