Pledge of Texas hurricane aid...

Cornyn extracts Trump pledge of Texas hurricane aid

By SARAH FERRIS

The Senate’s No. 2 Republican today endorsed a $36.5 billion disaster aid package, resolving one of the standoffs holding up the bill.

A spokesman for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Cornyn will support the House-passed aid package, H.R. 2266 (115), after personal assurances from the White House that more money for Texas will be delivered next month.

"The president strongly indicated his preference that a second appropriations request, which will come in November, will include funds specifically to aid Texans recovering from Harvey,” Cornyn told Texas reporters in a call.

The House package includes nearly $19 billion to replenish FEMA, largely intended for emergency efforts in Puerto Rico. It would also restore the National Flood Insurance Program’s borrowing capacity to ensure all hurricane victims, including in Texas and Florida, receive timely payments.

But just two days ago, Cornyn said the package was “inadequate” for his home state, which was recently slammed by Hurricane Harvey.

Texas lawmakers in Congress have been pressured by Gov. Greg Abbott to seek more funding — and fast. After the House denied the Texas delegation's $18.7 billion request for Harvey-specific aid last week, Abbott blasted the representatives for lacking a “stiff spine.”

Without a cash infusion, the National Flood Insurance Program's claims funding would run dry on Oct. 23, a FEMA spokesman told POLITICO this week.