08/31/2017

Spending Bill Likely to Include Harvey Aid

Including the disaster aid could increase pressure on members of both parties to vote for it

Republican leaders sound increasingly likely to tie disaster relief funding for Hurricane Harvey to a larger bill to fund the government and raise the nation’s debt ceiling.

Avoiding a government shutdown and raising the nation’s borrowing limit are top priorities for September when Congress returns from recess, and including the disaster aid could increase pressure on rank-and-file members of both parties to vote for it.

Relations between the White House and GOP leaders are already strained after Congress failed to repeal Obamacare before leaving town for its August recess, and President Donald Trump has increased pressure over the break by suggesting he would shut down the government if Congress does not include $1.6 billion for his wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in the next spending bill.

The administration has not yet submitted a formal request for relief funds, but both Trump and congressional leaders have said the funds will be made available in short order.

“We will help those affected by this terrible disaster,” said AshLee Strong, a spokesperson for Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI). “The first step in that process is a formal request for resources from the administration.”

Republican leaders have pushed back against Trump’s request for money for the wall, knowing that Senate Democrats are almost certain to filibuster any spending bill that includes border wall funding. Republicans may need to count on some Democratic support for any bill that funds the government and raises the debt ceiling, as conservative Freedom Caucus members are warning Ryan that they won’t support that move. The Freedom Caucus opposes a “clean” debt ceiling increase that doesn’t include any spending reforms.

“The Harvey relief would pass on its own, and to use that as a vehicle to get people to vote for a debt ceiling is not appropriate,” said Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), chair of the Freedom Caucus.

This article was provided to OSAE by The Power of A and ASAE's Inroads.