Congress fails to fund relief efforts, creating a 'disaster' of a bill

WASHINGTON (SBG) - Passing a $19 billion disaster relief bill backed by President Trump and a group of bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers of Congress appears to be a more challenging task than many would figure.

Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., told Sinclair Broadcast Group that never in the history of the United States has there been an instance "where it took more than 60 days to get disaster assistance to any part of our country.”

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., objected to and blocked the House’s second attempt on Tuesday to pass the five-month delayed relief legislation.

The disaster aid bill passed the Senate on Thursday before members returned to their districts for Memorial Day recess. That next day, the measure came short of crossing the finish line but a lone GOP first-term congressman from Texas, Rep. Chip Roy, opposed the relief funding and its impact on the deficit.

So far, those two House Republicans oppose the legislation, but members of their party in the Senate view the president’s support as a reason to approve the bill despite that if passed it would remove funding for the on-going, immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“The one thing that was removed was more funding for the border,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. “However, the president said that he’d sign this bill.”

Most lawmakers are home this week on recess, but some stayed on the Hill just to have this fight over the unanimous consent vote for the bill, which only required one lawmaker to block the measure.

“Millions of people are at risk,” said Steny Hoyer, D-Md., who was present at the House Pro Forma session.

Massie pointed to the push for unanimous consent on a large funding package as the reason for his opposition.

This is a crisis of Nancy Pelosi’s own making,” Massie said. “She sent us on recess for 10 days without voting on this legislation — without calling it for a vote.

Massie contends that when the speaker made Thursday the last day of session instead of Friday, she indicated the legislation was not prioritized.

“It’s legislative malpractice,” Massie said. “It’s a $19 billion bill and there trying to pass it with no vote.”