Speaker Mike Johnson suggests 'conditions' needed on disaster aid for LA wildfires
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that "there should probably be conditions" on aid to help California deal with devastating wildfires when asked if he's open to sending funding, signaling a possible political battle over helping the traditionally Democratic state.
"I think there should probably be conditions on that aid. That's my personal view. We'll see what the consensus is. I haven't had a chance to socialize that with any of the members over the weekend because we've all been very busy, but it'll be part of the discussion," Johnson said.
He did not offer specifics and ABC News has asked his office to clarify.
Johnson said the House Republican Conference will have a "serious discussion" about aid and blamed leadership in California who he said, "were derelict in their duty," echoing claims made by President-elect Donald Trump about the state's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, and Karen Bass, the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles.
"Obviously, there has been water resource management, forest management, mistakes, all sorts of problems, and it does come down to leadership, and it appears to us that state and local leaders were derelict in their duty, and in many respects. So, that's something that has to be factored in," he said.
Johnson said, "there's some discussion" within GOP conference to tie the debt limit increase to aid to California but cautioned "we will see how it goes."
After natural disasters, additional funding to help rebuild is usually approved with few if any conditions and typically receives bipartisan support.
Johnson's initial stance could mean a partisan fight in Congress over disaster relief for California in the coming days and weeks.
Given the slim margin Republicans hold in the House, the speaker will likely need Democrats to ultimately back any final proposal.
