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Senate to vote on disaster aid bill next week

Senate leaders will vote on a disaster aid package ahead of the Memorial Day recess.  

The House passed a $19 billion disaster aid bill last week, but Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says it is partisan. She says the senate is working on a bipartisan bill.

“We want to move ahead and make sure that it not only passes the senate but will pass the house and be signed by the president,” she says.

The House bill is a revised version of a bill that passed in January and was not taken up by the Senate because it included more aid for Puerto Rico.  

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says funding for Puerto Rico remains a sticking point.

“There’s $622 million in there for Puerto Rico,” he says. “We’re going to have another one before this year runs out so then we’ll take care of more at that point. Let’s just get the job done.”

The senate will vote on a bill next week.