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A dispute over the emergency aid provided by the hurricane in Puerto Rico helped to overturn the US Senate Disaster Act on Monday, while Democrats accused the plan of not providing enough aid to the island, while Republicans were unable to meet even a simple majority for $ 13.5 billion Emergency aid supported by President Donald Trump for areas affected by hurricanes and the wildfires in 2018 and by this year's floods.
Three Republican Senators – Mike Braun of Indiana, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Enzi of Wyoming – joined all Democrats to vote against the aid package, which required 60 votes to pass to the polls. 39, final action.
"What we see here is pure partisan politics," said Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), accusing Democrats of voting against the disaster relief bill just for find a way to attack President Trump.
"I've never been as frustrated in the US Senate as now," Perdue said on Twitter.
Democrats said the president was to blame, citing White House resistance to plans to channel more aid to the island, which was struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria in 2017.
"He wants to pick winners and losers and decide who will get help in the aftermath of disasters," said Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT).
Even with the support of President Trump, the GOP's peace-building bill has only 44 votes, while the two sides blame each other for stalling the deal. Senate funding for disasters.
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In January, the House had approved more than $ 14 billion in emergency assistance, but the Senate was not acting immediately, partly because of the president's opposition to substantial new funding. destined for Puerto Rico.
"I cared more about Puerto Rico than any man," Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House.
"I think the people of Puerto Rico understand that, but you have a San Juan mayor who, frankly, does not know what he's doing," the president said, while Trump said Puerto Rico misused government relief funds. .
"The people of Puerto Rico are wonderful, but the incompetent politicians are trying to use the huge and ridiculously high amounts of funding for hurricanes and disasters to meet their obligations," the president tweeted in October. latest.
It was not clear immediately how both parties could resolve the dispute.
A second Senate vote Monday night to force action on a disaster assistance bill passed by the House was also blocked, on a 46-48 procedural vote.
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