House lawmakers cleared a critical disaster aid package Monday, overruling a group of conservatives who had blocked unanimous consent of the measure after three attempts at passing it last week.
The measure now heads to President Trump’s desk and his expected signature.
The legislation will provide funding for states and territories hit by a string of natural disasters beginning in the 2017 hurricane season and including recent devastating Midwest flooding and tornadoes.
Lawmakers passed the bill in a roll call vote that required two-thirds support for passage, 11 days after it won approval in the Senate.
House Democrats, who control the chamber, tried to clear the Senate bill after they adjourned for a recess under unanimous consent, which is a voice vote taken when lawmakers are not in the Capitol.
But a trio of conservatives blocked it on three attempts last week. They called for a debate and full roll call vote, given the high cost of the bill.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who was among the lawmakers who objected to voice vote passage, said he was opposed to the cost as well as the bill’s lack of funding to deal with the immigration surge along the Texas border.
Border funding had been removed from the bill to gain bipartisan agreement for passage. Democrats were opposed to its inclusion and Trump agreed to leave it out after talks with Republicans Thursday.
Senate Republicans said they plan to try to move a separate bill to provide President Trump’s requested $4.4 billion in emergency funding for the border.
The measure approved Monday also includes millions more for Puerto Rico despite Trump’s argument that the island has already received enough disaster aid.
It provides more than $3 billion for farm crop damage due to storms and nearly $1 billion for the Marine Corps and Air Force to repair bases and restore equipment damaged by recent hurricanes.
It also provides $600 million to the Economic Development Administration to provide grants to areas damaged by storms in 2018 and 2019.
