House Speaker Paul Ryan says he supports an immediate infusion of flood aid to Louisiana as part of a temporary governmentwide spending bill that’s the top item on the congressional agenda before lawmakers leave Washington for the fall campaign.
As The Associated Press reports, the bill also provides more than $1 billion in long-delayed funding to battle the Zika virus. Ryan predicted that negotiations on the measure will be wrapped up this week.
President Barack Obama has heeded calls by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state’s congressional delegation and requested $2.6 billion to help Louisiana rebuild from last month’s devastating floods.
Edwards has requested a $2.8 billion recovery package. The governor is making his third trip to Washington to agan pitch and build support for his request.
Edwards’ office says the Democratic governor will return home Friday.
Ryan didn’t volunteer how much money in federal disaster aid he supports. But the Republican speaker is opposed to a key demand of Democratic negotiators: money to help Flint, Michigan, repair its lead-tainted water system.
The flood aid question is one of a handful of unresolved issues involving the stopgap funding bill, which would prevent a shutdown next week and keep the government running through Dec. 9.
