US President Donald Trump asks for US$7.9 billion down payment for Hurricane Harvey relief
For Republican Party lawmakers who support a straightforward increase in the debt limit, pairing it with Harvey money makes the unpopular vote easier to cast
US President Donald Trump has sent lawmakers an initial request for a US$7.9 billion down payment towards Harvey relief and recovery efforts.
The request, expected to be swiftly approved by Congress, would add US$7.4 billion to rapidly dwindling Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster aid coffers and US$450 million to finance disaster loans for small businesses.
Republican leaders are already making plans to use the aid package, certain to be overwhelmingly popular, to win speedy approval of a contentious increase in the federal borrowing limit.
A senior House Republican, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deliberations were private, disclosed the approach. It ignores objections from House conservatives who are insisting that disaster money for Harvey should not be paired with the debt limit increase. Other senior Republican Party aides cautioned that no final decision had been made, and Democrats, whose votes would be needed in the Senate, have not signed off on the approach.
Some members are going to vote against the debt ceiling under any circumstances and they want their ‘no’ vote to be as easy as possible
For Republican Party lawmakers who support a straightforward increase in the debt limit, pairing it with Harvey money makes the unpopular vote easier to cast. Congress must act by September 29 to increase the country’s US$19.9 trillion debt limit, to permit the government to continue borrowing money to pay bills such as social security and interest. Failing to raise the debt limit would risk a market-shattering first ever US default.
