Congress Passes $19.1B Disaster Aid Bill, Sends to President
Congress approved the long-delayed $19.1 billion disaster aid bill and sent it to President Donald Trump for his signature on June 3. The measure would assist victims of numerous disasters over the past two years, from hurricanes in the Southeast to Midwestern flooding and California wildfires. It also has funds to repair highways and other infrastructure, including some military bases, as well as aid to help farmers cover crop losses. Further, the bill includes a $605 million nutrition program and $304 million in community development grants to help Puerto Rico recover from a devastating 2017 hurricane. The legislation also extends the National Flood Insurance Program through Sept. 30. The disaster aid is not offset by cuts to other programs.