This was a vote on a resolution setting a time limit for debate and prohibiting amendments to a bill providing $5.1 billion to aid communities affected by natural disasters, and $600 million for a summer youth jobs program. The $5.1 billion was specifically granted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the federal agency charged with helping communities recover from natural disasters. According to the Democratic staff on the committee that drafted the legislation, a number of FEMA projects were on hold due to a shortage of funding. The summer jobs program was intended to employ 300,000 people between the ages of 16 and 21 during the summer months.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) argued the legislation was urgently needed: "…We are quickly approaching the beginning of disaster season in the United States…. Today's bill is the most important thing they can do to help in the recovery and relief efforts. There will be emergency response professionals who worked overtime and need to be reimbursed. There are federal search and rescue teams which will have to be mobilized. FEMA will have to rebuild public infrastructure and remove debris. FEMA will have to provide temporary shelter to families displaced by the disaster….finally, the bill invests $600 million into job training and employment services. This is a vital investment to build upon the progress we have made in the past year to put America back to work."

Rep. Virginia Foxx argued the bill was filled with wasteful spending: "…The ruling Democrats, who have apparently no concept of the value of money, have completely thrown that idea right out of the window…. We have established in the minds of many Americans that federal dollars are somehow or another manna from heaven. They are not manna from heaven. Somebody has to pay this bill. It's not free. There is no free lunch. Every dime we are spending has to be borrowed. The American people understand that, and they are sick and tired of it."

The House agreed to the resolution setting a time limit for debate and prohibiting amendments to the disaster relief bill by a vote of 233-191. 232 Democrats and 1 Republican voted "yea." 174 Republicans and 17 Democrats voted "nay." As a result, the House proceeded to formal floor debate on legislation providing $5.1 billion to aid communities affected by natural disasters, and $600 million for a summer youth jobs program.