GOP-Led House Passes $36.5B for Aid to Puerto Rico

A new package of U.S. disaster assistance sailed through the House on Thursday — without the votes of 69 Republicans.

The GOP-controlled House voted 353-69 to approve $36.5 billion in emergency relief for Puerto Rico and other areas hit by recent disasters — and reflected early fatigue by some conservatives over Washington's expenditures.

According to The Hill, the "no" votes included many members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus — including caucus chair Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Reps. Justin Amash, R-Mich., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., who leads the Republican Study Committee, also voted against the legislation due to the lack of offsets, The Hill reported.

"Hurricane aid shouldn't be added to the debt," he wrote in a commentary. "That's akin to going to the Emergency Room after an injury, putting the charges on a credit card, and then pretending that the Visa bill is never going to arrive."

Six Texas Republicans also voted against the bill: Reps. Joe Barton, Louie Gohmert, Jeb Hensarling, Kenny Marchant, John Ratcliffe, and Roger Williams, The Hill reported.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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