Washington, DC — A Republican congressman from Texas has put a halt to plans to pass a disaster relief package in the U.S. House on Friday.
The 19-billon dollar package won approval in the Republican-led Senate Thursday on an 85-to-eight vote. President Trump tweeted that it has his “total approval.” House leaders had planned to use a parliamentary move to advance it to the president on Friday — but Republican Congressman Chip Roy of Texas objected.
If the full House were in session, the objection of one lawmaker wouldn’t mean much. But with the House in a procedural session, with only a few members present before the Memorial Day weekend, passage would have required unanimous consent.
Roy says he objected because the bill adds to the country’s debt AND because the bill didn’t include MORE money for border security.
Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says Roy is “playing Washington politics” and “Iowans deserve better than this.”
Before Congressman Roy’s objection, when it looked like the bill would pass and be signed by the President, Senator Joni Ernst praised the legislation saying, “At long last, Republicans and Democrats came together on a bipartisan disaster relief package that will deliver desperately-needed aid to folks across the country.”
She said she was pleased that the package includes a provision to extend aid for Iowans who are facing losses from the destruction of their stored grain in the floods.
Since April, Senators Ernst and Grassley have been working to include a provision into the disaster relief package. Grassley explains:
Currently, there are no federal disaster programs that cover the loss of grain that was being stored on farms.
It’s possible Congressman Roy of Texas may withdraw his objection Tuesday. That’s when House leaders could take another run at sending the disaster aid package to the president.
