The Week in Review
With Texas still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Harvey, lawmakers began to discuss the recovery process last week, which may have a significant impact on government funding negotiations this month. Harvey is expected to be one of the most, if not the most, expensive natural disasters in American history, necessitating billions of dollars in direct federal aid and funding for relevant agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). That reality has dampened the brinksmanship expressed by both parties over government funding and could prove to be enough to force a deal early in September.