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Congress finally to send $19B disaster aid bill to Trump

Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn., a freshman from Cookeville, Tenn., speaks to reporters at the Capitol after he blocked a unanimous consent vote during a scheduled pro forma session of the House on a long-awaited $19 billion disaster aid bill in the chamber, Thursday, May 30, 2019. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and freshman Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, have both blocked passage of the measure in the past week. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP)
By Andrew Taylor Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Congress is finally shipping President Donald Trump a $19.1 billion disaster aid bill, a measure stalled for months by infighting, misjudgment, and a presidential feud with Democrats.

The House is approving the measure in the first significant action as it returns from a 10-day recess. It is slated for a Monday evening vote in which Republicans whose home districts have been hit by hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and fires are set to join with majority Democrats to deliver a big vote for the measure.

Conservative Republicans had held up the bill during the recess, objecting on three occasions to efforts by Democratic leaders to pass the bill by a voice vote requiring unanimity. They say the legislation shouldn’t be rushed through without a recorded vote.