Senate will tie Harvey to debt limit, forcing second House vote

The move is opposed by fiscal conservatives who want to pair spending reform to the debt ceiling increase, which will push the nation's borrowing limit well about $20 trillion. The Senate will tie a critical hurricane relief measure to legislation that would increase the nation's borrowing limit, after theHouse planned to take up the two bills separately.

ABC News Ignores Ted Cruz’s Behavior During Sandy Relief To Ask About His Feelings On Harvey

Martha Raddatz, host of ABC's This Week , spent most of her interview time in Houston with Texas senator Ted Cruz deliberating on North Korea's bomb test, but when it came time to discuss Hurricane Harvey, she only asked about his feelings . Raddatz asked, "We are getting to a huge segment on Houston and the flooding.

Governor Abbott And President Trump Visit Houston

Governor Greg Abbott and Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott today greeted President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump as they landed in Houston, Texas to survey the the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. The Governor then joined President Trump visiting Houston communities affected by Harvey, speaking with victims of the storm as they begin the recovery process.

Trump again travels to Harvey-hit region

An upbeat President Donald Trump landed Saturday morning in Houston to get a firsthand look at a flooded and mud-choked metropolis devastated by Hurricane Harvey's record rainfall and storm surge, declaring himself "very happy" with rescue and recovery efforts. Officials in Beaumont, Texas, which lost its drinking water system because of Harvey, struggled Saturday to restore that service, and firefighters kept monitoring a crippled chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, that has twice been the scene of explosions and fires since the storm roared ashore and stalled over Texas more than a week ago.

Does Texas deserve federal aid after opposing the Hurricane Sandy relief bill?

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie accused Texas Republicans of being "hypocrites" for seeking Hurricane Harvey federal aid after opposing similar measures in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. While many believe Texas should receive all the funding it needs, others are hesitant to write a blank check to a state that refused to do the same when other states were in need.

Chris Christie’s Attack on Ted Cruz

New Jersey governor Chris Christie attacked Texas senator Ted Cruz on CNN today for his supposed hypocrisy in opposing relief for Hurricane Sandy yet requesting relief as Harvey devastates the Gulf Coast. Christie said: Senator Cruz was playing politics in 2012, trying to make himself look like the biggest conservative in the world.

Ted Cruz Calls Chris Christie A ‘Desparate Politician’ [VIDEO]

Sen. Ted Cruz didn't respond kindly to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's criticism of his decision to vote no on a relief bill for Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Cruz has been accused of hypocrisy for voting against the Sandy bill - which he claims was "filled with pork" - while asking for federal aid to help Texas with Hurricane Harvey.

Relief package for Texas reignites bitter feud with the north

Republicans from New York and New Jersey have pledged unconditional support for those devastated by Hurricane Harvey , despite lingering resentment. As historic floods wreaked havoc across the Gulf Coast, north-eastern Republicans recalled the days after Superstorm Sandy ravaged their region in 2012.

Why Approving Emergency Funding For Harvey Might Not Be Easy For Congress

A helicopter carries an evacuee during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on Tuesday in Houston. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images hide caption The cleanup bill will likely be hefty - possibly topping $100 billion - and the vast majority of those efforts will be funded by the federal government.

Scot Lehigh: Texas pols should live up to their inspiring rhetoric

It may be an impolitic point to make at this meteorological moment, but sometimes bluntness helps clear the conceptual clouds. So here goes: The rhetoric around the Texas disaster relief effort is inspiring, but shouldn't political leaders' professed concern about their fellow citizens transcend national emergencies? Or to put it another way, why don't President Trump and the leading politicians of Texas practice what they preach? This week, Greg Abbott, Texas's governor, spoke movingly about the spirit of generosity and community on display in the Houston area's Dunkirk-like response to this natural disaster.

Exploiting Hurricane Harvey: Fiscal hawks fear big spenders will capitalize on Harvey relief bill

A $100 steak knife, a $600 filing cabinet, $300,000 in sports equipment and an $88,000 tactical combat vehicle may have nothing to do with Hurricane Katrina, but those items were paid for as part of a multibillion-dollar spending bill that Congress quickly passed after the 2005 storm, which has prompted lawmakers to become skeptical of disaster-relief bills. Twelve years later, with Hurricane Harvey still dumping water on flood-ravaged Houston, some are already worried that the next relief bill will pose the same problem: millions of dollars spent on wasteful or unrelated projects.