About $35.8 million in emergency funding would be provided primarily to housing programs affected by Hurricane Katrina under a bill approved by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee.

The bill, approved by the committee Tuesday, still needs approval of the full Senate, and then the House and Senate must agree on a figure to send to President Bush.

Republican Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker say the bill allows housing authorities continued access to funds approved after Hurricane Katrina. They say the bill would ensure that unused federal funds set to expire will be preserved for future construction.