2016: Schweikert Voted Against Providing $500 Million In Disaster Aid For Flood Relief For Louisiana, Maryland And West Virginia As Part Of A Continuing Resolution Through December 9, 2016, But Did Not Include Aid For Flint, Michigan. In September 2016, Schweikert voted against a ten week continuing resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation would have "direct[ed] $500 million to helping flooded U.S. communities make repairs, a move the governor of stricken Louisiana considers a 'down payment' that will be supplemented in the coming months. Disaster relief funding wouldn't just go to that waterlogged Southern state, however. The money would flow to the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the agency decides who gets what. [...] As of Friday, President Barack Obama had declared 32 major disasters, including two declarations for severe storms and flooding in Louisiana in March and August. McConnell said on the Senate floor that the measure 'contains a sufficient down payment on flood relief for many states, including Maryland, West Virginia, and Louisiana.'" The overall legislation was a "continuing resolution [...] that keeps the government running through Dec. 9." The vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment. The House agreed to the motion, effectively passing the bill by a vote of 342 to 85. The Senate had already passed the legislation. The president then signed the bill into law. [House Vote 573, 9/28/16; Congressional Quarterly, 9/23/16; Congressional Quarterly, 9/22/16; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 5082; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5325]
Democrats Objected To The CR Because It Did Not Include Aid For Flint, Michigan. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Democrats and Republicans appear to be locked in a staring contest over the lack of government assistance for Flint, Mich., in a stopgap spending bill, with aides on both sides suggesting they're waiting for the other side to blink. Democrats roundly criticized a GOP written continuing resolution filed Thursday by Senate Republicans, but the measure actually met many of the spending and policy demands Democrats had made throughout weeks of negotiations --- except for a Flint response. Their central objection to the stopgap is the inclusion of flood relief for Louisiana and likely other states without also providing aid for Flint to address major problems caused by lead contamination in the city water supply." [Congressional Quarterly, 9/26/16]
Legislation Was Originally Blocked, Primarily By Senate Democrats, Due To Flint Aid Omission; Deal With Minority Leader Pelosi And Speaker Ryan Over Flint Aid In A Water Bill Sealed The CR's Passage. According to the Washington Post, "The Senate cemented an agreement Wednesday to avoid an Oct. 1 government shutdown after House Republicans allowed a vote on federal aid to address the water crisis in Flint, Mich., removing a major obstacle in negotiations. [...] Democrats made clear earlier this week they would not support the spending bill unless Republicans moved to guarantee Flint aid, while GOP leaders countered the Senate had approved Flint aid earlier this month in a separate water projects bill. The impasse was broken late Tuesday after House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) struck a deal allowing a vote to attach $170 million in Flint relief to the House version of the water bill. That bill is expected to pass late Wednesday; the stopgap spending measure is expected to pass shortly afterward." [Washington Post, 9/28/16]