BUDGET/NATURAL DISASTERS/PUERTO RICO/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate was unable to bridge a partisan divide Monday [4-1-19] over disaster aid, leaving in the lurch Puerto Ricans still recovering from Hurricane Maria, Californians trying to rebuild from wildfires and Midwestern communities soaked by recent floods. Neither Republicans, pushing for immediate aid for the Midwest, nor Democrats, pushing for increased assistance to Puerto Rico, could muster the necessary support on a procedural motion to end debate and move their particular aid package to a final vote. Instead, those communities will have to dig out from their disasters or rebuild their communities without more help from Washington. For now. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leveled most of his anger at President Donald Trump who has has reportedly urged senators not to provide Puerto Rico any more money because “they don’t know how to spend the money and they’re not spending it wisely’… Senate Republicans wanted a package worth roughly $13.5 billion that would have included aid for those suffering in the aftermath of historic floods that inundated millions of acres of farmland in Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa.”
–Ledyard King, “Disaster debacle: Divided Senate split on emergency aid that would help Puerto Rico, Midwest, California,” USA Today, April 1, 2019 7:30 pm