WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Another House Republican Tuesday blocked again the passage of a more than 19-billion-U.S.-dollar disaster aid bill without emergency border funding, further delaying the approval of funds that cleared the Senate last week with overwhelming bipartisan support.
House Democrats attempted to pass the bill via unanimous consent on Tuesday, but Thomas Massie of Kentucky objected, local media reported.
On Friday, Republican Representative Chip Roy from Texas was in Washington to object to the legislation when House Democrats first tried to pass it via unanimous consent.
It only takes one person to object in order to block a bill from passing immediately through unanimous consent. With Congress in recess, House Democrats will have another chance at a second pro forma this coming Thursday, and then again next week when the House returns on Monday, according to local media reports.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi swiftly condemned the latest objection, saying in a statement that "the heartlessness of House Republicans knows no bounds."
"House Republicans have repeated their stunning act of obstruction -- even after more deadly storms ravaged our country over the weekend," Pelosi said.
Massie told reporters after voicing his objection that he was trying to "stop legislative malpractice," by preventing legislation from passing without all House members present to take a vote.
"I'm just here to stop legislative malpractice today. Passing a 19-billion-dollar bill with no recorded vote is legislative malpractice," the Republican lawmaker said.
The Senate passed the bill by 85 votes in favor and 8 against on Thursday. President Donald Trump has said publicly that he would sign the bill even without the border funding he had previously requested.
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