Another House Procedural Maneuver Delays Aid For SW Georgia

Procedural Maneuver, Publicity Stunt. Tomato, Tomahtoe.

Regardless, with the house unofficially on recess for Memorial Day week, there was a “pro-forma” session this morning as the House was technically open. Thus, another chance to present the bipartisan agreement on aid for Hurricane Michael victims came….and went.

House Freedom Caucus member Thomas Massie today was in DC and objected to the “unanimous consent” motion to approve, thus likely kicking the measure to next week when the full House will be present to debate and ultimately pass the measure.

The rebuke was bi-partisan from Georgia’s area Congressmen, with Austin Scott referring to those delaying a measure certain to pass as “clowns”:

And the following press release was issued by 2nd District Congressman and Chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Sanford Bishop:

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) Chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies issued the following statement after another House GOP member objected to unanimous consent to pass the $19.1 billion disaster aid bill, keeping the bill from going directly to the President’s desk:

“Today, although Congress is officially in recess until June 3, I returned to Washington to ask for unanimous consent for the House to pass the updated disaster bill. My colleague Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) and I remain furious that Americans continue to be denied the disaster aid they so desperately need,” said Bishop.

“Last week, after months of delay, the Senate passed an updated bill. The House was expected to pass it by unanimous consent the next day, sending it immediately to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Unfortunately, a single House GOP member blocked the bill.

“Today, yet another House GOP member blocked the bill from passing by unanimous consent, ensuring the pain of Americans, including our communities in Middle and Southwest Georgia, will continue. “Let me be clear, there is no excuse for this deliberate denial of relief to those who are suffering! With the Senate and Administration on board with this bill, I cannot understand why anyone would play politics when communities coast to coast and the territories remain in catastrophic hard times.

“The House, the Senate, nor the Administration should rest until Americans can receive this critical disaster relief! We should pass this bill sooner, not later, without further sabotage by an extreme wing in the Minority party.”