Lawmakers already face a full September agenda when Congress resumes. But the fallout from Hurricane Harvey and need to swiftly provide assistance to disaster victims now tops the agenda.
“FEMA will likely run out of money before there’s a comprehensive number to address the entirety of the disaster response so immediate action is needed,” said a senior Democratic aide.
A spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency declined to say how quickly funding would be depleted.
But Tom Bossert, the White House Homeland Security adviser, said an initial request for funding from Congress was coming soon.
“We’re going to go up and ask for a disaster supplemental shortly,” Bossert said.
Bossert expected a multi-phased process, with a first request for supplemental funds coming quickly. A second more substantial funding request would likely come later.
“I will make that request shortly,” he said. “What we’ll do is come back later for a second supplemental request.”
As of late Tuesday, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund had $2.3 billion, including $1.4 billion in the major disaster account, which was projected Wednesday to fall to $830 million with outlays for temporary housing and other pending obligations, according to internal reports.
President Donald Trump will convene congressional leaders Wednesday at the White House, but already House and Senate leaders are talking among themselves about what will be expected.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reached out to Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Monday and spoke with White House chief of staff John F. Kelly on Tuesday, pressing for emergency funds.
Congress has tangled over disaster funds in recent years, most markedly when Republicans voted in large numbers against relief for Hurricane Sandy, saying it should be paid for with funding cuts elsewhere. Even though Republicans held the majority in Congress, they relied on Democrats for passage.
Both parties, though, appear poised to quickly approve disaster funds after Harvey swept through Texas and Louisiana, leaving more than 30 dead, with rains and floodwaters continuing to menace the region.
The first tranche of funding may likely be proposed as a separate stand-alone bill, unclouded by other issues, to help ensure quick passage, despite the other must-pass measures requiring attention in fall.
Congress will have a dozen working days in session as it races to meet a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government, averting a federal shutdown, and raise the debt limit to prevent a financial crisis, among other issues.
Conservatives, who have been reluctant to allow additional spending, warned against linking the relief to other measures.
Both the House and Senate appropriations committees have vowed to quickly address the needs.
“The Senate Appropriations Committee continues to monitor the situation in Texas and Louisiana and remains in contact with FEMA and other relevant authorities,” said Stephen Worley, a spokesman for the panel chaired by Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. “Chairman Cochran is prepared to respond quickly to any requests for supplemental appropriations for Hurricane Harvey response and recovery.”
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