Aviation and hurricane tax relief bills sent to president

WASHINGTON — Congress passed a bill Thursday to avoid a partial shutdown of federal aviation programs and provide tax relief for hurricane victims.

The measure now goes to President Donald Trump to sign. The bill extends the operating authority of the Federal Aviation Administration through March. Had Congress not acted, the agency would have been forced to partially shut down on Saturday, the last day of the federal budget year.

The bill also includes five tax relief provisions for victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Money from 401(k) or other retirement accounts could be withdrawn without penalty for storm-related expenses, for example. Another provision would lift limits on charitable tax deductions for people making hurricane-related donations.

House Democrats said they wanted to include in the bill as many as 21 tax relief provisions that Congress had provided for victims of past hurricanes, but were forestalled by Republicans.

The House initially passed the bill in the morning by a vote of 268-155, mostly along party lines. Democrats strongly objected to GOP legislative tactics, saying normal procedures for committee consideration of the measure were circumvented.

A few hours later, the Senate passed the same bill under expedited procedures after stripping out provisions that would have expanded the private flood insurance market.

The House, also using expedited procedures, then passed the revised bill.

The provisions removed from the bill would have permitted homeowners with Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgages to choose private flood insurance instead of federal flood insurance if they wish. Most of the private flood insurance market today is commercial properties.