House Dems wants to end a multi-month stalemate on disaster funds

In the Senate, where a disaster relief bill is deadlocked, Democrats in the House are ready to introduce their own program, which includes billions of dollars of help for the rain-swept Midwest .

The Democrats' revised bill would add $ 2.5 billion to central-country states facing catastrophic floods, an opening for Republicans after months of partisan wrangling.

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But the new version should not advance in the Senate because it contains the same controversial money pot for Puerto Rico, which has been one of the main criticisms formulated by the GOP against the bill.

"House Democrats have made it clear that we support a complete additional emergency to address the needs of all Americans affected by natural disasters," Evan Hollander, spokesperson for the House Credits Committee, said Sunday. Nita Lowey.

"If the Senate Republicans fail to advance the bill this week, we are ready to introduce a new bill that builds on the bill we have already passed and expands the bill. assistance to the people of the Midwest, "Hollander said.

The approach taken by the House of Commons resembles a similar proposal by Democratic senators last week, which would have included more money for Puerto Rico as well as $ 2.5 billion for the Midwest and Alabama, which were damaged by tornadoes. Almost all Republicans rejected this effort, saying President Donald Trump would refuse to sign it.

Since December, Congress has struggled to approve emergency assistance for half a dozen states hit by storms, forest fires and floods. This is largely because Trump resisted disaster relief for Puerto Rico, arguing without clear evidence that the island territory had mismanaged the funds it had already received.

GOP Senators have donated $ 600 million to Puerto Rico for nutrition assistance, an amount the Democrats say is sorely lacking for the island after being hit by two deadly hurricanes in 2017.

Democrats are determined to fully fund Puerto Rico's food stamp program, which has run out of $ 1.27 billion, which Congress had tentatively authorized last year.

Senate Republicans said they supported the replenishment of the food stamp program. However, GOP party leaders opposed what they see as unnecessary provisions in the House bill, including wording prohibiting funds for the construction or expansion of detention centers. for migrants or the construction of fences at the border.

In the midst of stalemate, the situation has deteriorated in half a dozen states, from California to Alabama, which have been waiting for months for relief. Some senators, like Doug Jones from Alabama, decided to call the president in an attempt he president to change his mind.

Both houses are under pressure to act before the suspension of the next two weeks. And recently, Pentagon officials have warned Congress that relief work would be halted if money was not distributed quickly.