WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders revealed a stopgap spending bill Wednesday that would avert a partial government shutdown and provide more than $100 billion in emergency disaster aid, primarily targeting recovery efforts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The legislation, which would fund the government through March 14, includes $100.4 billion in disaster relief and an additional $10 billion in economic assistance for struggling farmers. The measure must pass before the current funding expires at midnight Friday.
“We have to be able to help those who are in these dire straits,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters, noting that additional farm aid could come in the next Congress. The agricultural sector has seen net farm income decline 4.1% this year, following a 19.4% drop from record highs in 2022.
The largest portion of the disaster funding, approximately $29 billion, is allocated to FEMA’s main disaster relief fund for debris removal, infrastructure repair, and survivor assistance. Farmers affected by crop or livestock losses would receive about $21 billion in aid.
The package also designates $8 billion for highway and bridge repairs across more than 40 states and territories, while $12 billion would support community recovery through Housing and Urban Development block grants.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., praised the agreement as “free of cuts and poison pills,” highlighting its support for Democratic priorities including child care and workforce training.
The legislation includes several additional provisions, such as expanded Medicare telehealth coverage and measures to counter China’s technological advancement. It also transfers the RFK Stadium site to Washington, D.C., potentially facilitating a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.
“While this is not the legislation I would have written on my own, it is a strong, bipartisan package that provides the resources communities urgently need to recover,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Congress is expected to vote on the measure Friday, following the House Republicans’ 72-hour review period.
