Tagged: disaster relief

Updated 4:31 p.m. with bill passing in the Senate

The Senate has approved a $7 billion bill to replenish nearly empty federal disaster aid accounts. The vote was 62-37.

The legislation still faces opposition from Republicans controlling the House. They promise action on a competing plan in the House next week that would provide $3.7 billion in disaster aid.

The House measure is attached to a bill needed to avert a government shutdown, and that may give Republicans an edge in the partisan dispute.

Gov. Jay Nixon is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help farmers whose crops wilted this summer amid high temperatures and a lack of rain in much of the state.

On Thursday, Nixon asked Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to designate 101 Missouri counties (full list of counties below) as primary disaster areas. That would allow eligible farmers to get emergency loans and other federal help.