Disaster aid bill clears procedural hurdle

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate, on a second try, voted to take up a House-passed bill that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he wants to use to deliver disaster aid.

After failing to win 60 votes on a procedural move to close debate Monday, Reid oversaw the Senate vote 61-38 Tuesday to proceed with the bill that would provide about $7 billion in emergency disaster relief, Roll Call reported.

Eight Republicans voted with Democrats, including Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, whose state has suffered major flooding, as well senators in other states recently affected by disasters.

Senate passage of its version of the House bill that includes disaster relief would set up a confrontation with House Republican leaders who have said they want to include disaster aid in a stop-gap funding bill needed to buy Congress time to pass the annual spending bills for fiscal 2012. The fiscal year ends Sept. 30.