Home Local News U.S. SENATE FINALLY PASSES DISASTER AID PACKAGE

U.S. SENATE FINALLY PASSES DISASTER AID PACKAGE

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The U.S. Senate has finally passed a long-overdue $19 billion disaster aid bill to help to a number of states and Puerto Rico recover after a series of hurricanes, floods and wildfires.

The widely-backed legislation passed by an 85-8 vote.

Republican leaders agreed to a demand by Democrats to toss out President Donald Trump’s $4.5 billion request to address a record influx of Central American migrants who are fleeing violence in Guatemala, Honduras and elsewhere and coming to the United States.

Trump says he’ll sign the measure and is promising that the U.S-Mexico border money he wants will pass soon.

The disaster relief bill was held up for weeks, first by a battle over aid for Puerto Rico and then by failed negotiations on border aid.