Nationwide disaster relief bill stalls in Senate on 44 to 49 vote as Democrats demand more funding to help Puerto Rico
By Erica Werner and Erica Werner Congressional reporter focusing on economic policy Email Bio Follow Jeff Stein Jeff Stein Reporter for Wonkblog Email Bio Follow April 1 at 6:18 PM A massive emergency aid bill for victims of hurricanes, wildfires, flooding and other natural disasters was defeated in the Senate on Monday amid a fight between Democrats and President Trump over relief for Puerto Rico.
The vote was 44 in favor and 49 against; 60 votes would have been needed for the legislation to advance. “This is no time for our colleagues across the aisle to prioritize a political fight with the president ahead of the urgent needs of communities across our country,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor Monday. “This does not need to be a difficult partisan decision.”
But Democrats are furious over Trump’s reluctance to send assistance to Puerto Rico, a stance the president has articulated in private meetings with aides and repeated last week in a closed-door lunch with Senate Republicans. Trump claimed last week that he’s taken better care of Puerto Rico than any human being living. Puerto Rico’s governor, Ricardo Rosello, a Democrat, recently described Trump as a “bully” and threatened during an interview on CNN to punch him in the mouth.
Democrats, however, say they would support adding midwest flood aid to the House bill. As a number of Senate Democrats visit Iowa campaigning for president, some Republicans have argued that opposing major disaster aid for the state could be politically risky.
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