U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) joined a majority in the House of Representatives Thursday in approving an emergency supplemental spending bill that will ensure critical resources are available for flood and tornado-damaged communities in the Midwest.

In addition to funding our servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan, the bill provides $2.65 billion for disaster relief in the Midwest and a 13 week extension of Unemployment Insurance for workers in every state who have lost their jobs as a result of the recent economic downturn.

“The damage sustained as a result of the flooding in communities across the Midwest is so severe that it transcends what any individual or local government can handle,” Rep. Kind said. “I am pleased that today the House recognized this and came to the aid of families in Wisconsin. Once the flood waters recede, this funding will help clean up our communities and get families back in their homes, businesses back open, and farmers back on the land.”

The bill includes $1.297 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Budget, as well as $606 million for the Army Corps of Engineers for various dam and levee projects across the Midwest, $267 million for disaster loans from the Small Business Administration, and $480 million for agriculture assistance for farmers who have been affected.

The bill also includes a 13 week extension of unemployment benefits for those workers who are unable to find a job in today’s struggling economy. The number of Americans looking for work is growing n nearly 800,000 more men and women are unemployed than last year.

“Extending unemployment benefits is one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to stimulate the economy and help families who are struggling,” Rep. Kind said. “The economic slowdown has taken a real toll on hard-working men and women in western Wisconsin and across the country, and this extension will provide a temporary helping hand for those people trying to get back on their feet while dealing with the rising cost of just about everything.”