Senate Democrats are proposing $6 billion in disaster relief funding, directly challenging House Republicans’ calls that any disaster aid be offset with additional spending cuts.
When Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast at the end of August it became the tenth billion-dollar disaster of 2011 with a little more than three months left in the year. In years and decades past the federal government accepted the responsibility to help the American people when they needed it most after entire cities have been destroyed and people have lost their homes and businesses. There was no talk about where the money would come from, it was just given. After Hurricane Irene, though, House Republicans’ began calling for any disaster relief to be offset with additional spending cuts.
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats moved forward with legislation that would dare Republicans to stick to those calls, which Democrats think is a losing stance. The Senate Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee approved the funding, which would go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) introduced the $6 billion bill and called it a “down payment” – by comparison, a House-approved bill provided $3.64 billion in disaster relief.
Democrats have been blasting Republicans for their comments and their willingness to leave millions of Americans stranded if additional cuts cannot be found. They also have been criticizing the GOP for wanting to reduce spending in programs that help some Americans so other Americans can get the aid they need.
“There are some on the other side of the Capitol who want to play politics with these issues,” Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said. “I say we are not going to rob Peter to pay Paul. It seems like some of these people want to rob Peter and Paul.”
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) also railed against Republicans for supporting billions spent in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars but being hesitant to support disaster aid for the American people.
“Let’s start worrying about Americans in America!” Leahy yelled during the subcommittee meeting.
The $6 billion would be for the 2012 budget year beginning Oct. 1 and is $4.2 billion more than what President Barack Obama requested in February. The additional $4.2 billion would be more than the spending “caps” that were set under the budget deal that was reached to avoid a government default; however, none of the Republicans present for the subcommittee’s vote took issue to the amount surpassing the caps.
The full Appropriations Committee will consider the bill Wednesday afternoon and it could come up for a vote on the Senate floor later this month or in October.
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