HARRISBURG — The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday its disaster relief fund could run out sometime next week, potentially bad news for Pennsylvania flood victims who are trying to get help.

FEMA officials said a spending dispute in Congress could mean there will not be federal money to help state residents, although that was not certain. House Republican leaders are trying to get the votes to approve a $3.7 billion disaster aid package that was surprisingly defeated on Wednesday.

The relief fund, which has never been completely empty, fell to $210 million on Thursday.

“If Congress does allow the balance of the Disaster Relief Fund to reach zero, there are laws that govern federal agency operations in the absence of funding,” said FEMA spokeswoman Rachel Racusen. “The administration is committed to doing all it can under current legal authorities to continue vital operations, including assistance to individuals. But there is no question this is a critical situation and one we are watching closely.”

FEMA has approved nearly $40 million in grants so far for Pennsylvanians victimized by this month’s flooding from Tropical Storm Lee, and more than 21,000 individuals and families have registered for aid.

By late Wednesday, the agency had approved payments totaling $38.5 million to 7,755 applicants. Most of that assistance is for home repairs and rental housing for people whose homes were destroyed.

Among those waiting to hear is Annmarie D’Ottavio, who saw water reach the first floor of her home by Muncy Creek in Sonestown. D’Ottavio, 35, said her mother put in a FEMA relief application at a nearby forest station last week.

She had never seen the creek get so high.

“It would pour over the banks, but never did it pour into people’s homes,” she said Thursday.

A few miles away in Muncy Valley, Deb and Rich Fry estimated the losses to their business, Katie’s Country Store, at about $35,000 in merchandise. Flood insurance does not cover the contents of their buildings, and they’re currently working on paperwork to submit to the Small Business Administration.