U.S. Senate OKs $500M flood aid in short-term budget plan needed to prevent government shutdown

The U.S. Senate has agreed to a short-term spending plan that will provide up to $500 million for Louisiana flood recovery efforts.

After several days of negotiations, Senators quickly moved Wednesday to pass the stop-gap measure that will fund the federal government through Dec. 9 and prevent a government shutdown at midnight Friday. The final vote was 72-26.

Tucked inside that measure is $500 million for states that have had natural disasters this year, the bulk of which is expected to go toward Louisiana's recovery from catastrophic floods that left 13 dead and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.

In an interview with The Advocate, U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said that the plan is for the House to quickly move to pass the bill, formally known as a continuing resolution, and have it to President Barack Obama later this evening.

Read more: http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_167dacaa-858e-11e6-9257-43a46cf0cbd4.html