Disaster aid bill again blocked in House by GOP conservative

WASHINGTON (AP) — A second conservative Republican in as many House sessions stepped in on Tuesday to block a long-overdue $19 billion disaster aid bill that's a top priority for some of President Donald Trump's most loyal allies on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said that if Democratic leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi thought the measure was so important, they should have kept the House in session in Washington late last week to slate an up-or-down roll call vote.

Another conservative blocked an earlier attempt Friday to pass the measure under fast-track rules, but Democrats tried again Tuesday. Veteran Democrat Sanford Bishop flew to Washington from Georgia to request the House pass the popular measure under fast-track procedures that permitted any individual lawmakers to block the bill.

Eventual passage of the bill, supported by Trump and top leaders in Congress, is a forgone conclusion. Trying again on Tuesday was a political freebee for Democrats, who went on the attack right after the vote.

One objection by Republicans was a move by House Democrats last week to dump overboard Trump's request for $4.5 billion to address the crisis of Central American refugees at the southern border.

Trump is a supporter of the measure, which swept through the Senate on Thursday in a rush to exit Washington for Memorial Day. Many Republicans, including southerners facing re-election, are frustrated that the bill has taken so long. After being denied his border money in a fight with House Democrats such as Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, Trump still embraced the bill, which directs much of its aid to political strongholds of his such as the Florida Panhandle and rural Georgia and North Carolina.

Passing legislation without any objection from anyone is often trickier...