Congress nears funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders are nearing the unveiling of a spending agreement that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and other natural disasters.
The stopgap measure would prevent a partial government shutdown set to begin after midnight Friday. It would kick final decisions on this budget year's spending levels to a new Republican-led Congress and President-elect Donald Trump. The continuing resolution generally continues current spending levels for agencies.
Passage of the measure is one of the final actions that lawmakers will consider this week, before adjourning for the holidays and making way for the next Congress. It's the second short-term funding measure the lawmakers have taken up this fall as they struggled to pass the dozen annual appropriations bills before the new fiscal year began Oct. 1, as they typically do.
While text of the legislation was not yet available Tuesday, House Republican lawmakers emerged from a closed-door meeting saying that the disaster aid would come to about $100 billion, plus there's $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers who have been struggling with drought in some regions of the country and flooding in others.
“We have to be able to help those who are in these dire straits,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters.
Net farm income is projected to decline 4.1% this year after falling 19.4% the year before from the record highs reached in 2022. Johnson indicated more farm aid could be delivered in the next Congress, saying “we can't do all it right now.”
“Congress is doing the best it can under difficult circumstances, and I think it will be a big boost for the industry,” Johnson said.
Rep. Glenn Thompson, the Republican chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said he was hoping for more economic relief for farmers, but “it’s a great start.”
“I think it’s going to send the right signal to the markets that most farmers and ranchers are going to be able to get eligible for the credit they need to borrow in order to plant a crop or raise a herd,” Thompson said.
President Joe Biden has sought about $114 billion in disaster aid, submitting a $99 billion request in November, telling lawmakers the funding was “urgently needed.” The administration subsequently updated its request to include funding to repair federal facilities damaged due to natural disasters.
As it typically does, Congress is expected to act just before another shutdown deadline. House Republicans generally give lawmakers 72 hours to review text of the legislation, which would push a vote on final passage to Friday if they follow through on that rule. The Senate also is not known for acting speedily, but many lawmakers are anxious to adjourn for the year and make way for the next Congress.
Since the bill is the last must-pass legislation of the current Congress, lawmakers have worked to get certain priorities included. On the health care front, the legislation seeks to extend coverage of telehealth appointments for Medicare enrollees and reign in how much money pharmacy benefits managers – the companies that negotiate how and what drugs are covered by insurance plans – make off those deals.
Johnson said he hoped that text of the bill would be available later Tuesday, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said "negotiations continue between both parties.”
“Obviously we are getting closer to the December 20th deadline, so time is of the essence for Republicans to reach an agreement with us that we can act on quickly,” Schumer said.
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Associated Press staff writers Stephen Groves and Amanda Seitz contributed to this report.
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