The U.S. Senate has reached a deal over a federal stopgap bill that will fund the federal government through Dec. 9, send a $500 million down payment in federal disaster assistance to Louisiana and other states with declared disasters this year, and address the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
The Associated Press reports that Washington, D.C., lawmakers passed the hybrid spending measure—the last major item on Capitol Hill’s pre-election agenda—today with a 72-26 vote.
The deal would avert a potential federal shutdown and comes just three days before the midnight deadline to keep the government open.
In a statement issued today, Sen. David Vitter praised passage of the bill as good news for the thousands of Louisianans struggling to recover from last month’s severe flooding.
“This is certainly a significant down payment for Louisiana recovery, but we’re only at the beginning,” Vitter says. “Our entire Louisiana delegation is united in fighting for the full amount after the election, and we’re going to continue working with our colleagues and urging the president to make sure Louisiana has the assistance we need to make us whole.”
U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy also calls the funding “a good start” to aid Louisiana’s recovery.
“We’ve made a half-a-billion dollar down payment that will ensure these families have the resources they need to start recovering, rebuilding and prospering again. However, our work is not done, this is a down payment,” Cassidy says in a statement. “The entire delegation will continue to press to make sure that every Louisianan has what they need to get their lives back.”
The stopgap bill known as a continuing resolution stalled in the Senate Tuesday over demands by Democrats that the measure include money to help Flint, Michigan, and other cities deal with tainted water.
The Democrats argued it’s unfair that the water crisis in Flint has gone on for more than a year with no assistance, while Louisiana and other states are getting $500 million for floods that occurred just last month.
About a dozen other conservative Republicans joined the Democrats in blocking the measure.
The Democratic position softened after negotiations involving House Speak Paul Ryan and top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California, among others.
The House is expected to approve the measure shortly and send it to President Barack Obama for his signature.
The Associated Press has the full story.
