Congress will cut short its recess to hold an emergency session to approve a $10 billion supplemental emergency spending measure for relief efforts and restoration of infrastructure in the three hurricane-stricken Gulf coastal states, including repairs for energy facilities damaged by the hurricane force winds and flood waters.

Senate lawmakers were expected to return to Capitol Hill either late Thursday or Friday, and House members were due to come back Thursday night, said Brian Richardson, a spokesman for the Senate Appropriations Committee. He indicated that the supplemental spending bill would be approved “as soon as congressionally possible,” perhaps by this weekend.

Sen. Marry Landrieu (D-LA), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she has been working “around the clock” with Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), who also sits on the appropriations panel, to assess the anticipated needs of the affected coastal states, and ensure quick passage of the emergency supplemental appropriations measure.

She said that the measure has the “full and unwavering support” of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

The emergency legislation would provide funds for relief efforts in the affected states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, emergency assistance for farmers and funds to restore infrastructure, transportation, levees and roads, Richardson said.

Energy relief also will “definitely” be included in the measure, he noted. Funds will be provided to help restore electricity to the more than two million customers that are without power along the Gulf Coast, and to help the oil and natural gas industry get back on its feet, Richardson said.

The Minerals Management Service reported Thursday that 79% of gas production, or 7.86 Bcf/d, and 90% of oil production, or 1.36 million bbl/d, still were out of service in the Gulf. All told, Gulf of Mexico gas output has fallen by 42 Bcf since last Friday, and oil output has dropped by 7.44 million barrels over that period. Approximately eight refineries have been shut down along the Gulf coast as well.

Until Congress passes the spending bill, the Federal Energy Management Agency has $2 billion in disaster relief funds at its disposal, which it expects will be sufficient in the short term, said John Scofield, spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee.

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