White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney speaks to reporters outside the White House on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)The White House on Wednesday asked Congress for nearly $30 billion in new funding to pay for a wave of natural disasters, including hurricanes in Texas, Florida and island territories and wildfires scorching western states. The emergency funding request comes as the Trump administration is responding to natural disasters in 20 states plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Even before Harvey, Irma and Maria, the program owed more than $24 billion to the U.S. treasury, nearing its current $30 billion borrowing cap. The Senate is taking a week-long recess next week, while the House is scheduled to be off the week after.

Source: Washington Post October 04, 2017 22:52 UTC