Rep. Michael McCaul told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Monday that it was wrong for his fellow Texas Republicans and other GOP congressmen to vote against last week's $15.25 billion hurricane relief bill just because the legislation also suspended the debt ceiling.
Although he acknowledged that money to aid those in need due to the disaster puts an enormous financial strain on the federal government, McCaul said that "When I had people dying and hurting in my home state, it was my duty and moral obligation to help them."
McCaul, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said "I felt that that vote was a vote of conscience to help people in my state and also now in Florida," stressing that "I think that's what Americans do, and I think it's unconscionable to vote against something like that."
Texas Republicans Joe Barton, Jeb Hensarling, Sam Johnson, and Mac Thornberry all voted against the bill, as conservative GOP congressmen have insisted on spending restraints when the debt ceiling is raised, and this legislation did nothing to restrain spending, the Washington Examiner reported.
McCaul acknowledged that "We will have another supplemental" to continue helping the victims of both Hurricane Harvey and Irma, as this bill "was just a down payment to keep the disaster relief fund afloat."
He insisted, however, that there is no other choice but "to provide assistance to these people who are hurting and to help them rebuild."
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