Hurricane Disaster Relief Package Upped To $15B In Senate

WASHINGTON, DC — Disaster relief money to help Texas communities rebuild from Hurricane Harvey — and stock reserves for impending damage from Hurricane Irma — was nearly doubled by Senate Republicans to more than $15 billion.

The Senate was expected to pass the legislation, which was paired with a short-term government borrowing increase and a temporary government funding bill, as early as Thursday. The federal government's disaster aid reserves are quickly depleting as Irma hurtles toward Florida.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, unveiled the measure late Wednesday, adding $7.4 billion in community development block grants to President Donald Trump's $7.9 billion request, which overwhelmingly passed the House on Wednesday. McConnell also added a temporary extension of the federal flood insurance program. (For more information on the hurricane relief package and other White House stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Watch: Bipartisan Senate Bill Doubles Hurricane Recovery Funding

"It will provide certainty and stability for first responders, state officials, and the many others involved in preparing for and recovering from these storms, with critically needed emergency resources that will not be interrupted by the prospect of a shutdown or default," McConnell said Thursday.

The recovery effort for Harvey has strained resources to the limit already. Let’s work together to act on emergency funding quickly.
— Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) September 7, 2017

The additional community block grant money is to jump-start rebuilding efforts. The money can cover costs the Federal Emergency Management Agency can't.

"This funding will serve as an initial first step toward helping Texans begin the process of rebuilding," said Republican Sen. John Cornyn, of Texas.

The $15 billion-plus aid package is also crafted in such a way to free up another $7 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster relief funds.

The Senate vote comes a day after Trump shocked GOP leaders by siding with top Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, who demanded a debt ceiling increase only through December.

Watch: Trump Agrees To Raise The Debt Ceiling And Keep The Government Funded

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin, who opposed the short-term debt limit idea, said on Thursday that the deal that Trump cut with Democrats made sense, with one devastating storm and another looming.

Ryan said the president didn't want to have "some partisan fight in the middle of the response."

Asked in an interview with The New York Times about Trump siding with the Democrats, Ryan said, "Yeah I sort of noticed that."

The White House said Thursday that Trump spoke to Democratic and Republican leaders McConnell, Ryan, Pelosi and Schumer on Thursday morning, and stressed that the president is committed to working with both parties. Trump also was dining with Ryan on Thursday night.

In the meeting with Republican and Democratic leaders on Wednesday, Trump also suggested doing away with the debt ceiling entirely, according to congressional aides who spoke on condition of anonymity.

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press

Photo credit: J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press