Politico: Texas Lawmakers Press For Harvey Money – Pronto

“The President called me this morning at 6:30 and said I just want you to know that whatever you need, whatever the state of Texas needs, we’re there for you.

“In a Wednesday night statement, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the chamber’s No. 2 Republican, said he and fellow Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will ‘be working on a supplemental appropriations bill to benefit the victims of Hurricane Harvey.’ Cornyn said.

“The President called me this morning at 6:30 and said I just want you to know that whatever you need, whatever the state of Texas needs, we’re there for you. This is not just money that’s doled out for any purpose,” Cornyn said. “This has to be targeted for disaster relief and recovery from Hurricane Harvey. We’re going to be working with the president.’”

Texas lawmakers press for Harvey money — prontoPolitico
Rachael Bade, John Bresnahan, Sarah Ferris
August 30, 2017

Republican House members from Texas and Louisiana are pressing congressional leaders and top Trump administration officials for immediate federal funding to recover Hurricane Harvey, multiple Hill sources told POLITICO.

During a Wednesday afternoon call organized by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), lawmakers from the two states asked GOP leaders to pass a short-term funding bill in early September to bolster the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

No dollar figures were discussed. But the members on the call — which also included Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, FEMA and Department of Homeland Security officials and top House appropriators — urged leadership to make a relief down payment soon, then return to approve more money later this fall.

Even as the disaster continues to unfold on the Gulf Coast, insurance industry experts, federal officials and lawmakers warn that Harvey could be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. Damage could run into tens of billions of dollars, these sources said. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) is seeking $150 billion but warned that figure could rise.

“Texas members have begun conversations with congressional leadership, FEMA, and the White House on crafting an aid package in which funding would solely be directed to Harvey emergency assistance,” said Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), an appropriator who was on the call.

Senate Republicans from those states appear to agree. In a Wednesday night statement, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the chamber’s No. 2 Republican, said he and fellow Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will “be working on a supplemental appropriations bill to benefit the victims of Hurricane Harvey.”

Cornyn said President Donald Trump called him at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday to let him know he’d help his state.

“This is not just money that’s doled out for any purpose,” he said. “This has to be targeted for disaster relief and recovery from Hurricane Harvey. We’re going to be working with the president.”

Such a move could complicate a tentative plan by Republican leaders and the White House to package flood relief with legislation to raise the debt ceiling and continue current spending levels until December. Pairing emergency funding with those less popular bills, GOP leaders and White House officials believe, would make the hard-to-swallow vote somewhat more palatable for many conservatives.

But a debt ceiling and so-called continuing resolution package may not be ready until the end of September, which some lawmakers worry is too late. On the call, lawmakers discussed the possibility of potentially passing a standalone, stopgap FEMA bill in early September and then another to accompany the debt ceiling-CR legislation later in the month.

GOP insiders expect Republican leaders to hold a call with Democrats about emergency funding in the coming days. They also predict multiple congressional hearings to address the situation when lawmakers return from August recess after next week. That could mean hearings in the House National Resources and Financial Services committees.

The hurricane displaced thousands of people in Texas and Louisiana and caused at least 28 confirmed deaths.

McCarthy and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), who conferenced in on the call from a physical rehab facility in Washington, reassured members that they would not be left stranded. Some congressional leaders and administration officials believe FEMA’s disaster relief account, now about $1.1 billion, is enough. But if it is depleted sooner, leaders told the delegations they will be ready to help.

FEMA could also ask appropriators in the coming days for permission to re-designate agency funds to target flood relief, a request that will be granted immediately, sources said.

Jackson Lee believes that her request for $150 billion in additional funding may just be a “starting point.”

“Because this is an unprecedented disaster in terms of the amount of rainfall and the ongoing flood situation, it appears we will basically need to rebuild Houston,” her spokesperson said. “The $150 billion figure is a reasonable starting point based on the assistance packages for [hurricanes] Katrina and Sandy. But we are still very early in this process and amounts may fluctuate as more details come in.”