Republicans Call For Conditions on Calif. Wildfire Aid

Top Republicans in Congress are considering imposing conditions on disaster aid to Los Angeles communities devastated by wildfires after President-elect Donald Trump claimed state and local officials had mishandled the situation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Monday that leading officials in the Democratic-led state mismanaged water resources and forests in the Los Angeles area before six simultaneous blazes tore across second-largest U.S. city, claiming the lives of at least 24 people.

"It appears to us that state and local leaders were derelict in their duty in many respects," Johnson told reporters in the U.S. Capitol. "So that's something that has to be factored in.

"There should probably be conditions on that aid. That's my personal view. We'll see what the consensus is."

House Republicans have not yet discussed disaster aid to sections of California stricken by fire, Johnson said. The lawmakers are set to meet behind closed doors early Tuesday.

With Republicans set to take control of the federal government upon Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, the GOP will have full control over spending, including the form and volume of disaster relief.

The president-elect took aim at the Democrat leaders of California and Los Angeles as "incompetent pols" over the weekend in a social media post about the wildfires that claimed "they have no idea out to put them out."

Please be assured that all fire departments and all law enforcement agencies in the area will be prepared.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., on Sunday told CBS' "Face the Nation" that he expected to see "strings attached to money that is ultimately approved, and it has to do with being ready the next time, because this was a gross failure this time."

Johnson said House Republicans are also discussing the possibility of tying California aid to efforts to raise the limit on more than $36 trillion in U.S. debt.

One hurdle facing disaster aid in Congress is an energized hardline conservative bloc that seeks offsets for any new spending.

Last month, the Republican-controlled House and a Democrat-led Senate approved more than $100 billion in new emergency funding to help states including North Carolina and Florida recover from devastating hurricanes.