WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans have unveiled an $81 billion disaster aid measure that almost doubles last month's request by President Donald Trump.
The sweeping measure is scheduled for a vote this week and would bring the total appropriated by lawmakers to respond to this year's spate of hurricanes to more than $130 billion, exceeding the cost of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The powerful Texas and Florida delegations protested loudly after Trump's $44 billion request and prevailed upon the Appropriations Committee to add funding for community development block grants, agricultural aid and Army Corps of Engineers navigation and flood control projects.
New Jersey Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen wrote the measure. He says lawmakers "must provide the necessary resources for them to recover from these emergencies."
The bill also responds to wildfire disasters in California.
