Congress gridlock threatens relief aid for US

A stalemate in the US Congress is threatening federal disaster relief for states struggling to recover from the several natural disasters that have hit the country.

Last week, Republicans voted for more disaster funding, but insisted on paying for it by cutting some of the Democrats’ green-jobs programmes.

The Democrats, who control the Senate, promptly rejected the bill and are holding firm on their own spending plan.

The partisan gridlock may also help trigger a larger government shutdown.

Al Jazeera’s Tom Ackerman reports from Washington.