Harvey aid will pass House without attaching to debt ceiling: Rep. McCarthy
House leaders are set to vote Wednesday on a bill that would deliver nearly $8 billion in emergency aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Treasury Secretary Steven Munchin said on “Fox News Sunday” that the government will not have enough money to pay for Harvey damage unless the debt ceiling is raised. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy told FOX Business on Tuesday, the bill will pass on Wednesday.
“We will deal with the debt ceiling regardless if Harvey even arrived in America and now we are asking for more money to provide for FEMA so FEMA does not run out of money,” McCarthy told Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria. “What Munchin is telling us, if you pass just the supplemental, they may not be able to put the money forward without having the debt ceiling raised.”
However, according to McCarthy, the clean aid bill on Wednesday will not be tied to the debt ceiling increase.
“Wednesday, in the House, it will not be tied to anything, it will just be the supplemental,” he said.
Later this month, House conservatives will also tackle a continuing resolution that would provide FEMA with additional short-term funding, he said.
“That will give FEMA some more money, almost $15 billion, to deal in the short time frame right now for Texas,” he said.