Thanks to a last-minute bipartisan agreement and President Trump’s willingness to back down on some demands, the Senate Thursday afternoon passed $19.1 billion package of disaster aid for states and territories, ending an eight-month impasse.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., appeared to credit Trump, sending out a press release headlined: “President Breaks Gridlock on Disaster Aid.”
The measure, approved 85-8, is now headed for the Democrat-led House, where lawmakers are expected to pass it by unanimous consent Friday and send it to Trump for signature.
Once enacted, the measure will provide money for states and Puerto Rico for hurricanes dating back to 2017 as well as wildfires, tornadoes, and recent Midwest flooding.
The measure would exclude Trump’s request for $4.5 billion in emergency funding to help deal with the recent surge in illegal immigration along the southern border. Removing the border funding eased the agreement. Democrats were opposed to its inclusion, and Trump agreed to leave it out after talks with Republicans Thursday. Republicans said they’ll attempt to move the border security funding separately.
The measure would also include millions more for Puerto Rico despite Trump’s argument that the island has already received enough disaster aid.
It would provide more than $3 billion for farm crop damage due to storms and nearly $1 billion for the Marine Corps and Air Force to repair bases and restore equipment damaged by recent hurricanes.
It also would provide $600 million to the Economic Development Administration to provide grants to areas damaged by storms in 2018 and 2019.
