2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For A February 2018 Two-Year Budget Deal
Which, Among Other Things, Increased Spending By $300 Billion,
Suspended The Debt Ceiling And Provided Nearly $90 Billion In Disaster
Relief For The 2017 Hurricanes And Wildfires. In February 2018,
Fitzpatrick voted for a two-year budget deal that re-opened the
government after a brief shutdown. According to the New York Times,
"With Mr. Trump's signature, the government will reopen before many
Americans were aware it had closed, with a deal that includes about
$300 billion in additional funds over two years for military and
nonmilitary programs, almost $90 billion in disaster relief in response
to last year's hurricanes and wildfires, and a higher statutory debt
ceiling." In addition, according to Congressional Quarterly, the
legislation "would provide funding for federal government operations and
services at current levels through March 23, 2018 [...] [and]
retroactively extends numerous tax breaks that expired at the end of
2016. It also extends the CHIP program for another four years (through
FY 2027) and funds community health centers for another two years." The
vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House
amendment to the bill. The House agreed to the motion, essentially on
passage, by a vote of 240 to 186. The bill was then sent to the
president, who signed it into law. [House Vote 69,
2/9/18; New York Times,
2/8/18;
Congressional Quarterly,
2/9/18; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
1892]
Legislation Provided $51.5 Billion In FEMA Funding, $23.5 To The
Disaster Relief Fund And $28 Billion To Community Development Block
Grants. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Of the total $89.3
billion provided, $51.5 billion goes to two major federal response
and recovery program accounts: the Federal Emergency Management
Agency's (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund ($23.5 billion), which is the
government's primary source for immediate disaster relief, for
continued response and recovery activities; and the Housing and
Urban Development Department's Community Development Block Grant
Program ($28 billion) to help communities rebuild homes and
infrastructure and prepare for future disasters." [Congressional
Quarterly, 2/8/18]
Legislation Also Provided Nearly $5 Billion In Additional
Medicaid Funding For Puerto Rico And The U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "the bill that would provide
[...] $4.9 billion in additional Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands." [Congressional Quarterly,
2/9/18]
2020: Fitzpatrick Voted For Providing $4.9 Billion In Supplemental
Appropriations To Puerto Rico For Response And Recovery Related To
Natural Disasters In 2019 And 2020. In February 2020, Fitzpatrick
voted for a bill that would, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"provide $4.9 billion in supplemental fiscal 2020 appropriations for
Puerto Rico and U.S. territories, for response and recovery related to
natural disasters in 2019 and 2020. It would also provide tax relief for
individuals and businesses affected by disasters in U.S. territories.
Within total funding, it would provide $3.31 billion for Housing and
Urban Development Department community development disaster recovery
block grants in response to disasters declared in 2018 through 2020,
including for disaster relief, infrastructure and housing restoration,
and economic revitalization." The vote was on passage. The House passed
the bill by a vote of 237-161. [House Vote 54,
2/7/20; Congressional
Quarterly, 2/7/20; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
5687]
The Package Included Funds For Food Stamps, Fixing The Electric
Grid, And Expanding The Child Tax Credit Benefits. According to
the New York Times, "The $4.89 billion funding package includes
$3.3 billion in grant funding for disaster relief, $210 million to
bolster the island's food stamp program and $18 million for
technical assistance that would in part support the faltering
electric grid in Puerto Rico and other territories. It includes a
tax relief package that, among other provisions, expands child tax
credit benefits for residents of Puerto Rico and increases the
amount of money collected from rum excise taxes diverted back to the
governments of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands."
[New York Times,
2/7/20]
Trump Has Opposed Efforts To Send Federal Aid To Puerto Rico, And
Republicans Have Sided With The President. According to the New
York Times, "Mr. Trump has been hostile to the idea of sending
federal money to the island, and the White House has warned that it
will veto the package. And Senate Republicans, emerging from the
impeachment trial, may have similar reservations about the
legislation, particularly given the administration's objections."
[New York Times,
2/7/20]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For $81 Billion In Supplemental Aid For The
2017 Hurricanes And The California Wildfires. In December 2017,
Fitzpatrick voted for supplemental funding for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma,
and Maria and wildfires from 2017. According to Congressional Quarterly,
"Passage of the bill that would make further supplemental appropriations
for fiscal 2018 for disaster assistance for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and
Maria and wildfires that occurred in calendar year 2017. The bill would
authorizes $81 billion in aid for ongoing response and recovery from
2017 hurricanes and wildfires, and would authorize Puerto Rico to use
surplus toll credits to cover the local share of federal highway
emergency relief. The bill would remove a cap on federal highway
assistance to U.S. territories for fiscal 2018 and 2019." The vote was
on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 251 to 169. The
Senate took no substantive action on the legislation. [House Vote 709,
12/21/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/21/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
4667]
2017: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted For Emergency Hurricane And
Wildfire Appropriations, Which Included $36.5 Billion In Emergency
Spending Which In Part Included $4.9 Billion In Loans To Puerto Rico
And The U.S. Virgin Islands. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick effectively
voted for legislation that would, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"make available $36.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding for
fiscal 2018 to partially cover the costs of responding to multiple
natural disasters, including hurricanes and wildfires. The measure would
include $18.7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's
Disaster Relief Fund - $4.9 billion of which would be used for disaster
relief loans to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It would also
cancel $16 billion of the Treasury debt incurred by FEMA's National
Flood Insurance Program, would release $1.2 billion in contingency
reserves from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for use in
Puerto Rico would provide $577 million in funding to fight wildfires."
The vote was on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to a resolution
that would have effectively concurred in the Senate amendment to H.R.
2266 with a House amendment. The House agreed to the motion, thereby
effectively passing the legislation, by a vote of 353 to 69. The Senate
later passed the legislation and the president later signed it into law.
[House Vote 566,
10/12/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/12/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
2266;
Congressional Actions, H. Res.
569]
2018: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Requiring The Army
Secretary Restore And Improve Public Infrastructure Damaged By
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Or Maria. In June 2018, Fitzpatrick
effectively voted against an amendment that would have, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "require[d] the secretary of the Army to
restore and improve the public infrastructure in the continental United
States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands that was damaged as a
result of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma or Hurricane Maria." The
underlying legislation was a water bill. The vote was on a motion to
recommit. The House rejected the motion, thereby defeating the
amendment, by a vote of 180 to 227. [House Vote 237,
6/6/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/6/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
8]