Article snippet: Lawmakers are punting on billions in disaster aid for parts of the Midwest, Southeast and Puerto Rico as they leave Washington for two weeks without an agreement. A gang of GOP senators, including Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman MORE (R-Ala.), went to the White House on Thursday as part of an effort to make headway in the stalled talks. But the meeting with MORE, which senators described as “nice,” failed to break the logjam that has stalemated disaster aid negotiations ever since the president criticized Puerto Rico during a closed-door lunch with Republicans last month. Instead, the disaster aid fight will drag on into next month. The House adjourned on Wednesday, and senators are leaving town on Thursday. Lawmakers will return on April 29, when senators are expected to focus on a slate of nominations teed up by Majority Leader MORE (R-Ky.). Shelby said after the White House meeting that they had agreed to essentially keep talking through the break as they look for a way to end the “standoff” before the two-week recess is over. “We continue to work. The president listened; he suggested a few things,” Shelby said. “He instructed his staff and our staff on approps to see what they could do.” Shelby added that there were “great needs” for disaster relief funding, but “we’re trying to reach a point where we can get it and not just be at a standoff.” He said they had talked about “parameters” with the president but didn't get into a specific proposal. The ... Link to the full article to read more