Trump requests $6 billion for immediate Harvey recovery

• Of the total, $5.5 billion would go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and $450 million to the Small Business Administration for their disaster relief efforts.

Why this matters: It's the first, urgent, money required to deal with what will likely be one of the biggest and most expensive natural disasters in recent memory.

The mechanics: The White House will send a letter to congressional leadership asking for the money, but won't dictate to Congress what legislative vehicle it should use to move the emergency cash, the official said. Republican leaders see an opportunity with the hurricane to wrap emergency recovery funding into a must-pass bill that would include raising the debt ceiling and funding the government.