Speaker Mike Johnson proposes “conditions” for disaster relief for Los Angeles wildfires

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that there should “probably be conditions” for aid to help California deal with the devastating wildfires when asked if he would be willing to send money points to a possible political struggle over aid for the traditionally democratic state.

“I think there should probably be conditions on that help. This is my personal opinion. We’ll see what the consensus looks like. I didn’t have a chance to discuss this with any of the members over the weekend because it was all of us.” “It’s very busy, but it will be part of the discussion,” Johnson said.

He did not provide further details and ABC News has asked his office for clarification.

Johnson said the House Republican conference would have a “serious discussion” about aid and blamed leadership in California, which he said had “breached its duties,” echoing President-elect Donald Trump’s claims about the Democratic governor States, Gavin Newsom. and Karen Bass, the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles.

“Obviously there have been water resource management, forest management, mistakes and all sorts of problems, and it comes down to leadership, and it seems to us that state and local leaders have done their duty, in many ways. “So,” that has to be taken into account,” he said.

Johnson said there was “some discussion” at the GOP conference about tying the debt limit increase to aid to California, but warned, “We’ll see where it goes.”

After natural disasters, additional funding for reconstruction is usually approved with few or no conditions and is usually supported by both parties.

Johnson’s initial stance could lead to a partisan battle in Congress over disaster relief for California in the coming days and weeks.

Given Republicans’ slim lead in the House, the speaker will likely have to rely on Democrats to ultimately support any final proposal.