The U.S. Senate did not approve an emergency disaster relief provision this week. Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) blamed Democrats for stalling negotiations and delaying relief for disaster victims.
Chair Shelby complained Democrats are continuously changing their funding requests that determine the size and scope of the bill. Democrats on the Appropriations Committee dismissed Chair Shelby’s accusations. Chair Shelby is looking to pass a disaster relief package before the end of the month, but Congress is in recess next week, placing the Chair’s timeline in doubt.
A group of Senate Republicans introduced a disaster relief measure last month that closely resembled a disaster bill that passed the House earlier this year. Chair Shelby is expected to introduce his own bipartisan measure, in conjunction with Democrat appropriators, which the Senate will take on after the recess.