This week, the House passed a disaster aid supplemental spending package for the hurricane and wildfire relief efforts. The $36.5 billion spending measure was approved 353-69, and was sent to the Senate for approval next week. The legislation included $18.7 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, $576.5 million for wildfire funding, and $16 billion for debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The bill advanced as some of the most devastating wildfires in California history continue to rage in the Wine Country despite criticism from conservatives over the fiscal impact of repeated disaster aid legislation.
The supplement was brought to the House Floor as an amendment to an unrelated House and Senate-passed bill (H.R. 2266) to authorize new and permanent bankruptcy judgeships. The legislation is controversial among conservatives for its NFIP debt relief and funding measures, but attaching the supplement to H.R. 2266 will prevent the possibility of a filibuster when the bill proceeds to the Senate floor. Next week, the Senate must also take up the fiscal year 2018 budget resolution, and it is unclear whether Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) will consider the supplemental before or after the budget is addressed. The bill may also be delayed if senators from affected areas push for funding add-ons. Senators. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) are among the most vocal members calling for more wildfire funding provisions in emergency funding legislation. In addition, Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn are under pressure from Texas Governor Greg Abbott after the he expressed disappointment to members of the Texas House delegation for failing to meet requests for additional Hurricane Harvey aid. If a fight breaks out among senators over additional funding levels for relief efforts, the final passage of the bill may be pushed to the following week.