Congressional Republicans propose tying wildfire aid to debt ceiling debate

In an unfolding political standoff, House Republicans have proposed attaching wildfire disaster aid for Southern California to a federal debt limit increase, a strategy met with staunch opposition from California Democrats. 

The idea was floated during meetings with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Republican legislators, wielding a narrow majority, face a monumental challenge in securing votes necessary to raise the debt ceiling without Democratic support, posing an economic hurdle for the incoming administration.

“I think there should probably be conditions on that aid,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Monday. “That’s my personal view. We’ll see what the consensus is. I haven’t had a chance to socialize that with any of the members over the weekend because we’ve all been very busy, but it’ll be part of the discussion.” 

Earlier on Sunday, Senate Republican John Barrasso of Wyoming told “Face the Nation” that he expects “strings attached to money that is ultimately approved.”

Democrats, however, were not entertaining such proposals.

California Rep. Ted Lieu, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, was among those criticizing the notion of conditional fire relief.

“Why would you be trying to link completely unrelated issues?” Lieu told Politico. “We’ve always helped victims of disasters, and to leverage their pain and suffering on totally unrelated issues — that is inappropriate.”

Funding to help areas rebuild after natural disasters usually receive bipartisan support with few if any conditions. In December, Congress approved more than $100 billion in emergency funding to address hurricane recovery in states that included Florida and North Carolina.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., expressed skepticism over the GOP’s tactic to make aid for California conditional. 

“If (Johnson) wants to raise the debt ceiling, he’s going to have to talk to Democrats, not try to condition disaster aid,” Moskowitz told Politico. 

“Congress is like high school: when one side breaks the norm, the other side will return the favor,” Moskowitz added.

That sentiment was echoed by California Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, who in an interview with Politico described the proposal as a “non-starter.” He added, “Disaster aid should never be tied to the debt ceiling, which I think is a crazy approach.” 

Some House conservatives expressed doubts over the viability of intertwining disaster assistance with debt ceiling negotiations.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, the Freedom Caucus chair, wants the GOP to address the debt limit as part of a budget reconciliation bill coupled with strict spending cuts.

“I’ve said we shouldn’t have to negotiate with Democrats,” Harris told Politico.

Harris is in favor of Republicans tackling the debt limit issue as part of a party-line budget reconciliation bill paired with significant spending cuts.

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