Thus S. 815 would in effect define any civil disturbance or other manmade catastrophe to be a "natural disaster." This is particularly important at this time because. as many Senators know. the Committee on Environment and Public Works has been for some time considering what should be included or excluded from the phrase "or other catastrophe." language which. incidentally. has been part of the basic disaster relief legislation since 1950. Serious ouestions have been raised about the determination by those who administer the disaster relief laws to provide assistance for losses incurred in events which are not the result of natural causes. For instance. such declarations of emergency in 1980 as those providing Federal assistance for the handling of illegal aliens and for cleaning up toxic dumps are believed by some not to be within the scope of the phrase "other catastrophe" as intended by Congress. Mr. President. the committee is concerned about the effect adoption of this new definition might have at this time. especially when it is reviewing the basic law and considering how the language might best be changed to meet current needs.
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illegal aliens