On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill that will provide disaster relief funding for struggling areas across the nation, legislation that lawmakers have sought for months after earlier bills collapsed over disagreements about funding for recovery in Puerto Rico.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-AL, was among those who cast a vote in favor of the legislation, which will aid recovery efforts in Lee County, following tornadoes earlier this year, and the Wiregrass region, which is still recovering from Hurricane Michael.

“This disaster relief bill is long overdue,” Sewell said. “This funding will go a long way toward helping Alabamians who lost their homes due to tornadoes in Lee County and farmers who saw devastating crop losses as a result of Hurricane Michael. I am glad that my Republican colleagues finally put partisan politics aside to help Americans affected by natural disasters.”

Not all Republicans were on board – U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-AL, voted against the measure despite requesting federal disaster aid for the state in 2011, as did U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-AL, who requested disaster aid for the state as recently as 2018.

The following provisions are key components of the $19.1 billion disaster relief package passed by the House:

• Agricultural Programs – more than $3 billion to compensate farmers for crop and livestock losses due to natural disaster during 2018 and 2019;

• Emergency Forest Restoration Program – $480 million to provide assistance to owners of private forests whose lands were damaged as a result of natural disasters;

• Emergency Conservation Program – $558 millions to provide emergency funding and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers for rehabilitating farm land damaged by natural disasters;

• Rural Community Facilities Program – $150 million for grants to be used for repairing facilities used to provide healthcare, education, public safety and public services

Earlier versions of the bill stalled in the Republican-led Senate, but the current version is on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk, who has voiced support for the measure previously.

The House also passed a bill Monday that will extend the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care Entitlement to States (CCES) programs, which are essential for low-income families in need of financial and child care support.

“We know low-income workers face significant hurdles in reaching economic security,” Sewell, a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, said on the floor of the House Monday. “TANF is critical to making sure these families can afford basic necessities like food, housing and medicine.”

Sewell noted that, currently, more than 11,000 Alabamians receive assistance from TANF benefits and more than 20,000 children benefit from the program.

Sewell also spoke up about the benefits of extending the CCES program.

“Child care is one of the largest expenses facing families and the matching funds included in this program are important to support low-income workers and their children,” Sewell said. “I am pleased that this bill will unlock $10.2 million in funding for child care in Alabama to help meet the needs of children and families in my district.”

According to a press release from Sewell’s office, studies have shown that higher child care costs have a negative impact on mothers’ employment, while child care subsidies increase women’s labor force participation, help mothers obtain and maintain jobs and increase their incomes.