Trump sides with 3 Texas churches against FEMA

FILE: The president writes on Twitter, “Churches in Texas should be entitled to reimbursement from FEMA Relief Funds for helping victims of Hurricane Harvey (just like others).” (Photo: The White House/Flickr, Public Domain)

WASHINGTON — The Latest on the Harvey aid bill in Congress (all times local): 9:55 p.m.

President Donald Trump is taking the side of three Texas churches that are suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency over disaster relief funds.

The president writes on Twitter, “Churches in Texas should be entitled to reimbursement from FEMA Relief Funds for helping victims of Hurricane Harvey (just like others).”

The Houston Chronicle reports that the three churches — Rockport First Assembly of God, Harvest Family Church and Hi-Way Tabernacle — sued FEMA on Tuesday for access to relief funding. The lawsuit claims FEMA violates the Constitution by denying disaster funding to faith-based groups.

A Justice Department spokeswoman has told the Chronicle it is “aware of the complaint and will examine the claims.”

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6:55 p.m.

The White House says President Donald Trump “appreciates Congress putting aside partisan politics” to quickly approve a $15.3 billion disaster aid package in the aftermath of Harvey.

Trump signed the bill on Friday. It also extends America’s borrowing authority and funds the government through Dec. 8.

In a statement, the White House says people in the path of Hurricane Irma should “rest assured that this Administration will always put the needs of the American people above partisan politics as usual.”

Before Congress passed the bill, angry conservative House Republicans hissed and booed senior administration officials dispatched to Capitol Hill to defend it.

The House voted 316-90 for the measure. Republicans cast all 90 votes in opposition, many of them seething after Trump cut the disaster-and-debt deal with Democratic leaders with no offsetting budget cuts.

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5:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump has signed a $15.3 billion disaster aid package in the aftermath of Harvey.

The bill also extends America’s borrowing authority and funds the government through December 8.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted Friday that the president had signed the bill. She says it will provide “much needed support for storm survivors. Our thoughts and prayers are with all impacted.”

Trump signed the bill shortly after arriving at Camp David for the weekend.

The measure will replenish depleted emergency accounts as Florida braces for Hurricane Irma and Texas recovers from Harvey.

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11:05 a.m.

The White House is praising Congress for acting fast to deliver storm recovery money to people dealing with the aftermath of Harvey.

It’s not yet clear when President Donald Trump will sign the $15.3 billion disaster aid package passed on Friday by the House.

The bill’s tied to a temporary increase in America’s borrowing authority and will keep the government funded into December.

The White House says by ensuring government funding for the next three months, “it gives Americans the certainty they deserve, and we look forward to finding a permanent solution in the months to come.”

Trump is expected to be briefed on preparations for Hurricane Irma later Friday.

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10:35 a.m.

The House has voted overwhelmingly to send a $15.3 billion disaster aid package to President Donald Trump.

Lawmakers overcame objections from conservatives who didn’t want the emergency aid linked to a temporary increase in America’s borrowing authority.

The measure keeps the government funded into December.

The vote was 316-90. The measure would refill depleted emergency accounts, as Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Irma and Texas picks up the pieces after the devastation of Harvey.

It’s only the first installment of a federal aid package that could rival or exceed the $100 billion-plus provided after Hurricane Katrina. Future installments are likely to be more difficult to pass.

The vote postpones budget decisions into December and forces another politically difficult debt limit vote next year.

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10:22 a.m.

Trump administration officials faced a rough time in pleading with House Republicans to back the debt limit increase.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin drew hisses from lawmakers Friday when he told a closed-door meeting of House Republicans “vote for the debt ceiling for me.

” That’s according to congressman Mark Walker of North Carolina.

Pennsylvania’s Ryan Costello described a surreal scene with Mnuchin and White House budget office director Mick Mulvaney pressing Republicans to rally around the disaster aid package. Mnuchin is a former Democratic donor and Mulvaney opposed debt ceiling hikes without budget cuts when he was a congressman.

Costello said, “It’s kind of like, ‘Where am I? What’s going on here?”’ He added, “If it wasn’t so serious, it kind of would have been funny.”

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3:26 a.m.

Republican conservatives are grumbling, but the House is poised to back a $15.3 billion disaster aid package that President Donald Trump and Democrats have married to a temporary increase in America’s borrowing authority.

Friday’s House vote would send the measure to Trump for his signature, replenishing rapidly dwindling disaster accounts as Hurricane Irma tracks toward Florida this weekend.

The must-do legislation would also provide money to fund government agencies through Dec. 8, eliminating the threat of a government shutdown when the new fiscal year starts next month.

Conservatives are upset at the painful debt limit vote. GOP leaders actually had hoped to solve the politically toxic debt limit issue through next year’s midterm elections, but Trump sided with Democrats for a debt reprieve only into December or slightly beyond.