OPINION: Fact or Fake: Is Chuck Schumer to blame for disaster aid delays as Rick Scott contends?

May 22-- May 22--The statement

In an appearance on PBS' NewsHour program last week, Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott cast the blame for disaster relief from Hurricane Michael squarely on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat.

Not once, but four times:

"Here's what's been frustrating to me. Chuck Schumer has basically blocked the bill in the Senate....

"But, right now, it's been basically shut down in the Senate by Chuck Schumer....

"But, again, this is something that, for whatever reason, Chuck Schumer has basically shut down any conversation to get something done here....

"But, you know, Chuck -- Senator (Richard) Shelby has had a bill, it seems like now for months or it seems like since I got up here. And Chuck Schumer will not let the Democrats vote for it."

Is Scott correct? Has Schumer single-handedly blocked a bill that would provide disaster relief to the Panhandle communities devastated by Hurricane Michael?

The facts

The National Hurricane Center last month upgraded Hurricane Michael's intensity at landfall on Oct. 10, 2018, determining it was a Category 5 storm with winds of 160 mph. Just three other storms that strong have been recorded making landfall on the United States mainland.

The storm caused an estimated $25 billion in damage in the United States.

As of mid-March, about five months after landfall, federal disaster assistance to the Panhandle totaled about $1 billion, according to the Federal Emergency Management Administration. Much of that is low-interest disaster loans to businesses and homeowners, grants to pay for uninsured losses and flood-insurance claims.

That doesn't begin to cover the money needed for the region's recovery, but a bill introduced earlier this year by Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby would have sent an additional $13.5 billion in aid to Florida and other states hit by natural disasters in recent months, as well as $600 million in nutritional aid to Puerto Rico, which is still struggling to recover from Category 4 Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The Senate voted April 1, but the aid package needed 60 votes to advance. It failed on a 44-49 vote with all Democrats opposed, except for Alabama Sen. Doug Jones. Democrats didn't think the bill had enough money for Puerto Rico.

The Senate then voted on a $14 billion House version, which failed on a 46-48 vote, this time because of opposition from Republican senators. The House bill didn't have money for Midwest flooding in March because it was passed before then. (Earlier this month the House passed a new disaster bill, worth about $19 billion, that included additional aid for the Midwest. Thirty-four Republicans joined Democrats in voting for that bill, and news reports suggest the two parties may be close to an agreement.)

A Twitter war between Scott and Schumer erupted after the April votes, with the two blaming each other for the failure to reach a deal.

We all know @realDonaldTrump took all aid for Puerto Rico but nutrition assistance out of the bill. The bill has none of the long-term recovery & resilience aid PR has asked for repeatedly.

Stop the bull. Stand up to the President. Help all communities rebuilding from disaster. https://t.co/VnqnzS3kTf

-- Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 15, 2019

I'm working with Rs, Ds and the President to get a deal done. But it shouldn't have taken this long. FL's been waiting 6 months.

The truth is, you're more than happy to give Puerto Rico nothing if it helps prolong a political fight with Trump. That's shameful. https://t.co/MHEYlrSdtj

-- Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) April 15, 2019

As for Scott's repeated comments that Schumer was to blame for a disaster-relief bill failing to pass, it's true that the party leaders exercise a great deal of influence over the way members vote (although Democrat Jones of Alabama defected and voted with Republicans on Shelby's bill). This is true not only of Schumer but also of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The bottom line

Scott told the NewsHour, multiple times, that Schumer is responsible for blocking a disaster-relief bill in the Senate. That's probably true, considering Schumer's influence over his party. However, Scott's comments suggest just one bill was on the table. A second disaster-relief bill voted on by the Senate was blocked by Republicans. We rate Scott's statement Mostly Fake.

Ratings categories: We rate statements as Fact, Mostly Fact, Mostly Fake or Fake. If you hear or read a statement you want checked go to orlandosentinel.com/factorfakeform

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