In the News

 The U.S. House of Representatives in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote approved nearly $8 billion in Hurricane Harvey relief funds Wednesday on Capitol Hill.

The bill marks the first of several relief packages planned to help with the widespread damage across southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana.

The 419-3 vote will move the bill forward to the Senate, where the Republican leaders will likely include a must-pass measure to raise the debt ceiling, which would stop a federal government default. The bill would then head back to the House for final approval.

“We will not leave until we get this done,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin.

The bill gained approval from all four members of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation: Ralph Abraham, R-Alto; Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge; Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City and Cedric Shaw, D-New Orleans.

Republican Congressmen Justin Amash of Michigan, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Thomas Massie of Kentucky cast the opposing votes.

The relief package would include $7.5 billion to replenish funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with $450 million to cover disaster loans through the Small Business Administration.

Congress may also consider relief funds to cover damages from Hurricane Irma, which is expected to reach the southernmost tip of Florida by Sunday.