Senate eyes adding more money to disaster relief bill

Senators are eyeing more money for a House-passed disaster relief bill, including more help for Puerto Rico and states hit by a recent spate of hurricanes.

“I think so far what has been done is not been as much as we should do, so we’re having a conversation with various members who come from the regions affected by Maria, by Irma, by Harvey, by wildfires, other natural disasters,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters this week. 

{mosads}The House passed the legislation last week before leaving Washington for a weeklong recess. The bill would provide $36.5 billion to fund hurricane relief, a flood insurance program and wildfire recovery efforts in the West amid a string of natural disasters.

Cornyn, whose home state was hit by Hurricane Harvey, didn’t specify how much additional funding senators were discussing.

Rubio, who met with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló, told Reuters that “they’re still dealing with the acute, immediate challenges.”

The House bill also includes $18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund, $16 billion to address national flood insurance program debt and $576.5 million for wildfire recovery efforts. It also provided $1.27 billion for disaster food assistance for Puerto Rico.

Senators could pass the supplemental disaster relief bill as soon as they clear the fiscal year 2018 budget if they can get an agreement.