US victims of flooding, wildfires and hurricanes in communities like Puerto Rico have been forced to wait until next month for Congress to approve $19.1 billion in disaster relief after it was blocked by one Republican lawmaker: US Rep. Chip Roy of Texas

(Anna Moneymaker)

Washington (AFP) – US victims of flooding, wildfires and hurricanes in communities like Puerto Rico have been forced to wait until next month for Congress to approve $19.1 billion in disaster relief after it was blocked Friday by one Republican lawmaker.

After months of delays, the compromise bill appeared set to clear Congress and head to President Donald Trump for his signature after a deal was reached between congressional leaders and the White House, a bright spot during an intensely divisive week in Washington. 

After passing the Senate, the bill headed Friday to the House of Representatives, where most lawmakers had already left for a holiday recess.

Democrats moved to pass the bill by unanimous consent, but Texas conservative Chip Roy objected.

“If I do not object, Congress will have passed into law a bill that spends $19 billion of taxpayer money without members of Congress being present,” the Republican said on the floor, a move that delays the measure until the House reconvenes in early June.

Roy also expressed frustration that negotiators dropped a Republican provision of billions of dollars in border security funding.

The measure would fund infrastructure development, rural community assistance, and disaster damage mitigation in the US island territory of Puerto Rico and states like California, Florida, North and South Carolina, Iowa and Roy’s state of Texas.

Democrats reacted with outrage.

“House Republicans’ last-minute sabotage of an overwhelmingly bipartisan disaster relief bill is an act of staggering political cynicism,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

“Countless American families hit by devastating natural disasters across the country will now be denied the relief they urgently need.”

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.