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4mo ago

GOP Proposes Linking California Wildfire Aid to Debt Ceiling Increase

Republican lawmakers suggest conditioning disaster relief on debt limit negotiations, sparking bipartisan backlash over potential precedent.

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Rep. Pete Aguilar said Tuesday that Democrats will not support any disaster aid legislation that comes with strings attached, as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnston has proposed.
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Overview

  • House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders propose tying California wildfire aid to raising the federal debt ceiling, citing concerns about state policies.
  • Republicans argue that attaching conditions to disaster relief could incentivize bipartisan support for the debt limit increase, which faces internal GOP resistance.
  • Democrats and some Republicans warn against setting a partisan precedent for disaster aid, emphasizing the need for consistent, unconditional federal assistance.
  • California Governor Gavin Newsom and other Democrats reject the proposal, defending the state's policies and criticizing the GOP for politicizing emergency relief.
  • The Los Angeles wildfires have claimed at least 24 lives and destroyed thousands of properties, with federal emergency funds already allocated for immediate response efforts.