GOP Conservative temporarily blocks $ 19 billion disaster bill



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WASHINGTON (AP) – A Conservative GOP government blocked Friday a $ 19 billion disaster relief bill, claiming to have left the necessary money to deal with the migrant crisis at the border and prolong the storm after the hurricanes and floods that left the disaster for months.

This decision came a day after the measure was passed in the Senate, despite a decision by the Democratic government to eliminate President Trump's $ 4.5 billion request to face a migration crisis at the US border. -mexicaine.

Texas Representative Chip Roy, a former assistant to Senator Ted Cruz, leader of the Texas fire department, complained that it does not contain money to meet the needs of more in addition urgent to the border. "It's a bill that understands nothing about responding to the international crisis and the humanitarian crisis we face on the southern border," Roy said.

He also objected to the measure being speeded up in an almost empty chamber, saying it was important that legislators actually vote on a bill that "spends a lot of money from taxpayers. "

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., One of the main forces behind the measure passed in the Senate with the enthusiasm of the two British government senators, said the delays were too much long. The Senate's actions took place after Trump's capitulation in his fight against powerful Democrats for aid to Puerto Rico, ravaged by hurricanes.

"Now, after the President and Senate, Republicans have disrupted and delayed disaster relief for more than four months, Republicans in the House have decided to sabotage themselves," said Pelosi. "Every day of Republican obstruction, more and more disasters have hit, more and more damage and more and more families have been left in the cold."

Democrats said the House could try to pass the measure again next week during a session, like Friday 's, which would otherwise be pro forma. If that does not succeed, a quick bipartite vote will be taken after Congress returns next month after the Memorial Day break.

Representative Donna Shalala, D-Fla., Said she was upset by Roy's action. "The fact that a person from a directly affected state can object, it is irresponsible," she said. Record floods hit Texas in 2017, but not Roy's district in the San Antonio area.

The leaders of the GOP and Trump support the bill, along with some lawmakers who are otherwise some of the chamber's most vocal conservatives, such as Austin Scott's representative, R-Ga.

"It's a bad thing to do, it's going to happen," said Jim McGovern, Chair of the Rules Committee, D-Mass.

A few hours after Roy blocked the measure, the Democratic Democrat Congress Campaign Committee launched a digital ad in his district to criticize his decision. He portrays a submerged Roy and says that he "keeps Texas families under the water".

Roy won his election in 2018 by less than three percentage points. The Democratic House Party campaign committee considers it a prime target for next year's elections.

The relief measure would provide money to southern states victims of hurricanes last fall, to Midwestern states flooded with spring floods and to rural California ravaged by fires, among others. Puerto Rico would also benefit from help for the recovery of the hurricane, thus ending a conflict of several months between Trump and powerful Democrats like the leader of the Senate minority, Chuck Schumer.

Trump said Thursday that he would sign enthusiastically the bill, which provides much needed help in many parts of the country where he behaves well with voters.

The tragedy of the House took place less than 24 hours after the Senate passed the bill by a general vote of 85 to 8, which represented a turnaround on the part of a tired room in the theater. Trump and where some members showed more and more impatience at the lack of legislation.

Trump said he was in favor of the bill, even though more than $ 4 billion was removed to deal with the humanitarian crisis related to the border between Central American migrants.

"I did not want to hold on to that anymore," said Trump. "I support him totally."

Much of the money would go to Trump bastions such as the Florida Panhandle, rural Georgia and North Carolina, as well as Iowa and Nebraska. Several military installations would receive money to rebuild, including Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and Tyndall Air Force Base in northwestern Florida.

At the end of the day, the disaster relief bills are still bipartite, but this cycle is coming off. And a breakdown of the credit table at the end of the week left important work for legislators when the Congress returns next month.

After months of fighting, the Democrats triumphed over Trump and gained extra help in Puerto Rico. The US territory has been hit by consecutive hurricanes in 2017.

Talks about Trump 's border demand failed about the conditions the Democrats wanted to give money to provide care and shelter to asylum seekers from Central America. The discussions were very close and the opaque process sometimes left behind experienced legislators.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Accused Democrats of insisting on "poison pills" that caused the collapse of the talks. But his office would not log on the record to clarify what they were. Other Republicans, especially those who were trying to project a bipartisan image for next year's campaign, were more circumspect.

"At the moment, the total dollar amount is close enough to border security, and Democrats and Republicans tend to agree on this," said Sen. David Perdue. "We're just trying to develop a detailed language, but we did not think we could wait any longer for that to be done."

Among the reasons for this break-up at the end of the week, there was a demand from Hispanic and liberal forces such as Pelosi, allied with Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. Department to obtain information from the Department of Health and Social Services to help trace illegal immigrants residing in the United States if they are caring for migrant child migrants arriving in large numbers at the border.

All parties agree that another bill of more than $ 4 billion will be needed almost immediately to replenish the almost empty agencies' accounts to take care of migrants, although the Democrats are fighting fiercely against the places of detention requested by Trump.

Trump hastened to try to claim credit, though his budget office never submits formal requests for disaster relief. But he spoke of help during a recent trip to the Florida Panhandle, rich in timber, his best area in a state without which it is virtually impossible for him to get re-elected .

"Well, we will be receiving the money for immigration later, according to everyone," Trump said. "I have to take care of my farmers with the help of disaster."

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Associated press editors Matthew Daly and Alan Fram contributed to this report.

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