The $19.1 billion disaster aid bill fails for third time in U.S. House
Washington, D.C. – For the third time in the span of less than six days, a House Republican lawmaker on Thursday blocked the passage of a multibillion-dollar disaster relief bill, essentially guaranteeing the bill won’t pass until the full House is back from recess on Monday, June 3rd, 2019.
The $19.1 billion bill passed the Senate by a vote of 85 – 8 earlier this month and President Donald Trump has expressed support for the legislation and has stated he would sign it.
This bill provides $17.2 billion in FY2019 supplemental appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for expenses related to the consequences of recent wildfires, hurricanes, volcanos, earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural disasters.
The funding provided by this bill is designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules.
The bill includes appropriations for:
- the Department of Agriculture,
- the Department of Commerce,
- the Department of Justice,
- the Department of Defense,
- the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
- the Department of the Interior,
- the Department of Energy,
- the U.S. Coast Guard,
- the Environmental Protection Agency,
- the Forest Service,
- the Department of Health and Human Services,
- the Department of Labor,
- the Department of Education,
- the Government Accountability Office,
- the Department of Veterans Affairs,
- the Department of Transportation,
- and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Reports indicate the Bill is valued at $19.1 billion. That is because the U.S. Senate passed amendments to the bill known as Senate Amdt. 250 to H.R.2157, which includes added appropriations.
The legislation is still expected to have the votes to pass when the House returns to Washington next week, but the objection will stall the bill until a floor vote can take place.
