Three Republican Congressmen Just Voted Against Harvey Relief
Today, three members of the House Republicans’ ultra-right “Freedom Caucus” voted against passing a $7.85 billion package to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona were the only three House members to vote against the disaster relief funding, citing that they did not want to tie funding to raising the debt ceiling.
“I believe that unscheduled spending should be offset by equal cuts elsewhere,” said Massie today to The Hill.
The vote was 419-3, with Rep. Amash tweeting out that he also wanted to see spending cuts offset the aid. In other words, the far-right congressmen put their own political agenda ahead of the immediate needs of desperate hurricane victims.
Congress should provide disaster relief funding, and we should pay for it now instead of billing our children and grandchildren for it.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) September 6, 2017
If this emboldens other Freedom Caucus members, they could potentially add their voices to the opponents of raising the debt ceiling when it comes time for relief in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
Amash and Massie both voted against funding for Hurricane Sandy.
However, Amash did offer his prayers to those facing Hurricane Irma.
Prayers for everyone in the path of #HurricaneIrma.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) September 6, 2017
