The Senate Appropriations Committee is hoping to finish negotiations this week on a bipartisan disaster relief bill, while House Democrats are forging ahead to vote on their own funding package, Roll Call reported Monday.
A pending House Appropriations Committee bill pledges $17.2 billion in aid for areas hit by natural disaster, including Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., which Hurricane Michael hit last September, and Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., which suffered extensive flood damage in March.
If passed, the White House is unlikely to support the amount over ongoing differences with House Democrats on disaster funding for Puerto Rico.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has put $1.2 billion into Tyndall as of April, but last week the Air Force fully halted all new repair efforts and won’t begin another 120 projects, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
The Air Force says it needs $350 million for short-term repairs at Tyndall and an additional $150 million for broader recovery projects.
Tyndall and Offutt aren’t the only installations caught in the current impasse over the disaster aid package. Camp Lejuene, N.C., Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Robins Air Force Base, Ga., Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., and Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., also need repair funding, as ADC reported last month.
Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Taylor Cooper