LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Republicans are pushing back against the president’s proposals. Donald TrumpHouse Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans for whom federal disaster aid Forest fire victims That battered Southern California should come along with the strings, potentially jeopardizing the president’s policy agenda in a deeply divided Congress at the start of his second term.
With Trump Planning to visit The state, which was ravaged by fires this week, even resisted efforts by some members of the House to impose conditions on disaster aid, further complicating an already strained relationship between the staunchly liberal Californian and the rest of the Trump administration. is
Several Republicans who narrowly won California House seats in November have expressed frustration that state aid could be tied to demands in exchange for helping thousands of Californians in their districts. This month is suffering from disaster.
“Playing politics with people’s livelihoods is unacceptable and a slap in the face to the victims of the Southern California wildfires and our brave first responders,” said Republican Rep. Young Kim, whose closely-divided district southeast of Los The fire is located in Orange County. Angels said in a statement.
In an interview that aired Wednesday night, Trump said he could withhold aid to California until the state manages its scarce water resources. He falsely claimed that California’s fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state were responsible. Fire hydrants are running dry. in urban areas.
“I don’t think we should give anything to California until they let the water go down,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
Local officials have said efforts to protect the Delta smelt were unrelated to hydrants running dry as firefighters battled the blaze around Los Angeles. He said the heavy demand on a municipal system not designed to fight such fires is to blame.
gave Air driven The firestorm destroyed entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, leaving thousands homeless and killing more than two dozen people.
Trump said earlier this week that the White House is in talks to bring more water to perennially parched Los Angeles, pointing to the Pacific Ocean and rains flowing into the state’s vast water storage and delivery system. has gone
“Los Angeles has a lot of water available for that. All they have to do is turn the valve,” the president said.
California has long been one Favorite target Trump, who also referenced the fire in his inaugural address on Monday. In L.A., he said, “We are. Watching the fire Still burning woefully without a trace of defense from the week before.
“That’s going to change.”
Trump has made no mention of the multinational firefighting force that has been deployed to deal with the multiple fires. Firefighters were battling two large blazes Wednesday when a third blaze broke out north of Los Angeles and quickly burned through hundreds of acres of dry brush.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, echoed Trump Complaintshas said there are “serious” problems with how the state is managed. These include inadequate funding for afforestation programs and water harvesting. He also noted the public. The conflict Between L.A. fire chief and city hall over budget cuts.
Johnson said Wednesday that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did not prepare the state or the city for what was to come. He specifically cited the 117 million gallon reservoir that has not been filled for nearly a year. Newsom has called for an independent investigation of the reservoir.
Bass did not directly respond to a question about possible scenarios on disaster relief, saying in a statement: “Our work with our federal partners will be based on direct discussions with them on how we can meet can work.”
Some Republicans have suggested that Congress’s relief package could entangle efforts to raise the nation’s debt ceiling — and with the House so closely divided, even a few fractious votes from either party could change the outcome. are
That has left GOP lawmakers from California in a political quandary: whether to forcefully stand up for their home state, often representing the GOP as everything that stands with America. Wrong, while Republicans in Congress are eager to show a united front. The election is won by what Trump calls new. “Golden Age” for the nation.
Several California representatives agreed that the federal government should avoid misappropriating the funds but argued that the money should not be blocked by restrictions imposed on other states after hurricanes.
The dilemma came to light in social media posts by Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, who briefly dominant in his swing district east of Los Angeles in November.
“Californians are entitled to federal disaster assistance like all Americans,” he wrote on X. But, he quickly added, “Some federal policy changes may be needed to speed up recovery as well as improve future wildfire protection. Those kinds of policies are not prerequisites.”
Republican Rep. Kevin Kelly, whose sprawling district stretches from east of Sacramento to Death Valley, told KCRA-TV in Sacramento last week that Johnson’s use of the terms was not “particularly helpful.” Speaking at the Capitol on Wednesday, he said there is a lot of confusion about what the conditions are for disaster relief.
He said his focus is to ensure that money is not wasted through government incompetence.
“We want to make sure that the actual money goes to the victims and they can use it to rebuild and rehabilitate their homes,” Kelly said.
Politicians in Washington have been wrangling for years over how to stop the growing threat of wildfires in the West. Republicans have long complained that inadequate land management practices have exacerbated wildfire damage, while Democrats have emphasized the role of climate change and the federal government’s failure to address it.
The only thing they agree on is that the problem persists.
Some lawmakers have noted that disaster relief for Johnson over the years Home State Louisiana did not come with conditions. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called the idea a “non-starter.”
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, whose largely rural district runs from the Sacramento area north to the Oregon border, said he wasn’t too concerned about the situation.
“Everything has circumstances, especially the way California wastes money,” LaMalfa said. “We want to help people and we want to help, like we’ve helped others. But California is very, very irresponsible.
Trump plans to visit the state on Friday to see the damage for himself. Newsom has not publicly said whether he will accompany them on their tour.
With the GOP’s slim majority in the House – 219 Republicans, 214 Democrats and one vacancy – Johnson cannot afford to defect on any vote. And it could take several weeks to prepare a full calculation of the state’s recovery needs and submit a formal request to the White House.
After major natural disasters, presidents typically make additional spending requests, as happened next Hurricane Helen and Milton.
Congress could also provide additional disaster relief to California through legislation. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Republican chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said he would work to include disaster aid in a filibuster-proof bill Republicans hope to draft this year that would introduce some of Trump’s first policies. Priority will be paid.
Newsom urged Johnson and other congressional leaders to immediately approve aid for the state, where fires are still burning and high winds threaten new ones. In an email to supporters on his campaign committee, he warned that “Republicans are holding federal aid hostage” and said Democrats could peel a handful of GOP votes through the aid package.
“In times of natural disaster – from Hurricane Katrina to Hurricane Helen – Americans have always stood together, putting politics aside to help those in need,” The Governor wrote. “Historically, federal disaster assistance has been provided unconditionally.”
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Fracking reported from Washington.
