House to Adjourn Without Vote on Billions in Hurricane Sandy Aid

Angry, surprised lawmakers react, calling it 'absolutely inexcusable' and 'a disgrace'

The House Republican leadership's decision to let the current Congress wrap up without holding a vote on billions in aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy was met with a storm of angry reactions from lawmakers in both parties.

"We cannot leave here doing nothing," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who took to the floor of the House Wednesday night urging that a vote be held. "That would be a disgrace."

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said the choice to abandon the vote was "absolutely inexcusable, absolutely indefensible. We cannot just walk away from our responsibilities."

The debate over Sandy relief in Congress has been contentious with some lawmakers opposing the bill because they felt there was too much funding that was not for emergency needs.The Senate approved a $60.4 billion recovery package Friday. The House was expected to vote on a $27 billion Appropriations Committee relief measure along with an amendment seeking an additional $33 billion, the Associated Press reported.

With the House punting the bill, victims of Hurricane Sandy that devastated parts of the Northeast in October will have to wait for aid until the next Congress is sworn in Thursday and works out the issue all over again. But House Speaker John Boehner is "committed to getting this bill passed this month" his spokesman Michael Steel said.

Via Associated Press

Do you think the House should vote on Hurricane Sandy relief before Congress ends?

[Sharpshooter]

Better yet.... Let El Presidente' snap his all powerful fingers to eliminate the red tape and fix it all for them singlehandedly.

After all, the man who killed Bin Laden while HE saved General Motors and Chrysler should be able to step into a nearby phone booth and pull the Messiah Suit on one more time for all of those good little democratic voters and keep his promise to them.

Someone please refresh my memory..... How long did the Katrina Clean-Up take? How big a mess was it under the leadership of the arch evil Bush? And last but most important... when are ya'll gonna get around to blaming him for this too?

Sucks to be exposed as incompetent, when you spend four years telling everyone how bad someone else was at the job. Where's the LEADERSHIP from the White House stepping in and LEADING the congress to accomplishing the necessary tasks?

Nevermind... I know.... playing golf in Hawaii. ANyone in New York or Jersey want their vote back yet?

[Eady]

I agree feel the same way. It's disgusting to say the least. They really need to get with the program.

[martydotcom]

Living in MI I guess the biggest disaster you have to deal with is Detroil and unemployment. I think there are a lot of NYer's NJ's and CT who want their votes back for their GOP reps. in the House. Peter King Mr. GOP big mouth from LI couldn't deliver the pork... get him out

[Sharpshooter]

@martydotcom The biggest disaster I have to deal with is the regime in the White House. The egotistical puppet Axelshaft and Jarret tricked you into supporting is sad joke that is going to be as ineffective for the rest of the country as he has proven by his broken promise to the Sandy Victims.

Where's the outcry of indignation for the government not doing enough for the victims like we heard with Katrina? Where is the screaming tantrums from people like you calling for the President's head because the victims aren't being help rapidly enough?

I refuse to think it's because you people cut the Axelshaft/Jarret Junta's puppet slack due to his race. It can't be because he's black and you hold him to a lower standard could it? I hope not.

I refer to him as a boy because he doesn't act like a Man regardless his race and I'm called a racist. What do you call it when he's cut slack no other Man in the office would enjoy?

[martydotcom]

@Sharpshoote I trust you're drawing on non existent personal experience???? Do tell about your FEMA tales. I're received aide from FEMA after hurricanes when you couldn't obtain drinking water, a tarp for your roof. or food.. There is a time whem MRE's are appreciated. So get off your silly talking points and get real

[Sharpshooter]

@martydotcom "There is a time whem MRE's are appreciated." Sure is... especially when you've been carrying them for a few days.

My FEMA experience is not the point of the comment YOU decided to challenge.

You're failed effort to detour the point that the problem with Sandy Victim Assistance lies in large part upon the stooping shoulders of the Axelrod/Jarrett Puppet.

I know it's difficult to see through the fog, but if you take your head out of the Kool-Aid pitcher you might see things a bit more clearly.

The puppet signed a pre-disaster declaration for NYC on 26 OCT. The Storm hit on the 29th. on 1 NOV the regime had their puppet in front of cameras and mics at a campaign stop promising to “get resources where they’re needed as fast as possible.” If governors and mayors are “getting ‘no’ for an answer somewhere in the federal government, they can call me personally at the White House.”

Only WEEKS after Katrina hit New Orleans the howling began with cries for Bush's head....

MONTHS after Sandy, with snow on the ground those same people aren't blaming the presidential candidate who made those promises.... they're in arms about the Republicans in congress (mind you not the democrats sitting in the same houses) not helping.

FEMA experience.... I'm sure somehow in a Kool-Aid sugar buzz a connection exists, but Michelle wants you to cut down on your sugar intake.... Something about Obese Kids ya know.

[Tralee]

From what I heard the NY Senator's loaded the bill with so much pork that it doubled the amount that would actually go to Sandy Aid. The ones to hang their heads in shame are Senators Schumer et. al., it included the following;

*Preparation against future storms:
$13 billion to 'mitigation' projects that prepare for future storms

*VA Manhattan Medical Center
$207 million

*Alaskan fisheries through NOAA:
$150 million

*Military bases: Eight along the storm’s path, including Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
$41 million

*Homeland Security and Justice departments for vehicles and equipment:
$8 million

*Kennedy Space Center, Florida:
$4 million to repair sand berms and dunes

*Plum Island Animal Disease Center, New York:
$3.3 million

*Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.:
$2 million to repair museum roofs

[Thunderchicken]

Thank you for posting that. I had heard the same thing.

[DARSB]

I don't think I want to hear another House conservative of any political persuasion tell me what a "Christian" nation this is. In fact, just to indulge in a little Foxian hyperbole, let me suggest the GOP is waging a "War on Christians."

[bsking]

I agree let's get all this Christian nonsense out of the way, it doesn't make sense to give 68,000,000,000 dollars to anybody until we find out in whose hands most of the loot ends up.

[PNWest]

This is what the GOP wanted as a compromise for passing the fiscall cliff bill. Now they can be happy that lots of poor people are suffering on the East coast. Hey to them at least it is a consolation prize.

[rkinsawjoe]

@bsking I agree with everything you just said. Also. providing disaster relief is very different from making everyone affected by a disaster whole. Did nobody along the east coast,which is hit by several hurricanes a year have insurance? I live 2 miles from the Mississippi River and if we get flooded and haven't paid for expensive flood insurance...all we get is asked why we didn't pay for expensive flood insurance. And that's perfectly fair, if you live in an area prone to some specific "disaster" then you either insure against it or suffer the consequences.

[mtkopf]

@PNWest why would the GOP care? Manhattan was the first to get its power restored and everything is back to normal there. God forbid someone's caviar goes bad
It would be a travesty if some banker was had to drink his scotch neat instead of on the rocks. The important things are taken care of at least.

[bsking]

@rkinsawjoe yeah that's right the whole idea of personal responsibility escapes half of the nation

[Chromalord]

I find it ironic the House wont give money to those who lost their house.

[mtkopf]

First chuckle of the day thanks

[DerivePI]

Really? The federal government hasn't provided any support for those afflicted by the Sandy damage?

[Emerald1]

Before anybody decides the vote was good or bad they need to read about the pork that was loaded into this bill. If funds are appropriated to deal with Sandy relief then everything in the bill should be for Sandy relief ONLY!

[mtkopf]

I agree with you. From what I saw, the only thing not Sandy related was the Alaskan fishery portion. Everything else was ALLEGEDLY storm related.
Another part of me says if military bases were damaged, then repair them using DoD funds. If the roofs on buildings in the Smithsonian need to be repaired, then slash your budget other places and pay for it. If NASA needs to replace berms, then stop spending 1 million/ yr developing a menu for a trip to Mars.
I would like to know exactly who attached these riders to this piece of legislation.

[RobertJHarsh]

Any bill should include a provision to abolish FEMA.

[martydotcom]

Never been hit by a tornado in OH. I've endured four hurricanes and anyone who thinks FEMA when administered by a professional, not a Brownie, can't do their job is sadly mistaken. Talk to those who have been victims

[RobertJHarsh]

@martydotcom FEMA is worse than any storm. Ask the people who have fallen to their victim post-any disaster.

[martydotcom]

@RobertJHarsh I found their help post hurrican Frances, Wilma, and Jeanne fantastic. How many times have you required their help

[RobertJHarsh]

@martydotcom Thankfully ZERO. But I have friends in New Orleans and New York and they have reported those FEMA F---KS have made life 10,000% more miserable. I am guessing you have missed stories about FEMA ordering the cops to arrest people who left town and trucked in gas and those who bought food for an elderly home and got roughed up by the cops? Most of New Orleans is still trashed from Katrina. And don't play the cite the source game with me, son. Google it. In fact, you don't have to. You KNOW I am correct.

You have got to stop living in this commie fantasy world you believe exists.

[martydotcom]

@RobertJHarsh Sorry you choose to believe what you were told and what you heard happened. I lived it not once but four times. Where the commie references come from is truly bizarre. What do commies have to do with being delivered water and MRE's when none was available.?
Guess what this is the 21st century even China is moving to capitalism. You and the soon to be Ex Rep Allan West appear to have an absurd fear of commies

[texas_cutie75]

In-freaking-credible!!! How can they drag their feet about the fiscal cliff, graciously decline the raise Obama gave them, Obama runs off to Hawaii and those poor Hurricane Sandy folks have not yet be tended to?? Get your collective ©§§es back to Washington and DO NOT leave till this is all rectified!! I hope their constituents are watching and none of these "gentlemen and ladies" get reelected!!

[martydotcom]

Peter King the GOP rep from Long Island never met a TV camera he didn't love is always shooting his mouth off against everything Dem. just you it shoved up his you know what by all he Tea Party Bud's When you can't bring home the pork when it's really needed get you loud mouth out of congress

[Knightkore]

Agreed...

[artjeb]

@martydotcom It can be said for senator chucky cheeze SCUMER he is just as bad a wind bag also & a photo hog.

[martydotcom]

@artjeb I only mentioned King because, in case you weren't aware the Senate passed the aide bil, l it's the HR that didn't Chuck or as we used to call him "The shoo" delivered.
Make sense to you?

[mtkopf]

Just so you know, POTUS did not give congress a raise. Congressional raises are automatic unless congress votes to NOT accept their raise.
What the president did was lift the 3 yr moratorium on raises for federal employees.

[Mbjhug]

What's that? Big Brother toying with people's lives and expecting the same (if not better) quality milk from the cows it's deemed to protect? How unusual and unheard of!

[Bobolinsky]

Imagine for a moment that our fiscal house was in... well... more order than it is now. Imagine for a moment that our Federal Government had passed a budget in 2012 and didn't engage in this end of year scramble to avoid a "fiscal cliff" that Congress and this Administration are responsible for constructing. Imagine what Congress could have spent this lame duck session debating.

[woodtick57]

Probably more pork for their distrcts...maybe we should limit congressional sessions to the last week of the year and make them do it all then?

[seedtick]

I am absolutely apalled at this inaction. I have lived thru several hurricanes and seen as well as experienced devastation like Sandy dealt out. To all who would willingly allow these people to continue suffering thru the harsh winter, I say: Shame on You. We along the Gulf Coast are very appreciative of the help that has been given to us at times like this. I listened to the congress members this morning and am convinced that they have worked everyway the House of Representatives asked...removing anything that was deemed to be "pork," given every detail asked for, and damned near begged for the help. At the very least, the House should have approved the $30billion, or so that they must give anyway. If there are questions about the rest then deal with that seperately. If there are local bureaucrats in New York and New Jersey trying to profit from this they should be ridden out of town on a rail.
If you agree with this inaction, I think you should have to experience the same thing in your own life to put things into perspective for you. When you are cold and hungry and your children are crying you will then understand why these people are asking for help.
REMEMBER THIS: IT IS ABOUT THE SUFFERING OF THESE PEOPLE, NOT ABOUT YOUR SILLY-ASSED POLITICS!!

[PNWest]

Amen brother! I would not wish living through a hurricane and it's aftermath on anyone. It's bad enough when the hurricane goes through and it feels like the wind is never going to stop but the aftermath of living in the wreckage, try to put things back together, no electricity, no clean water, not knowing when things will get better. It's terrible. The people hit by Sandy deserve our help. It shouldn't be about the politics.

[ConserveUSA]

@PNWest Politics should NOT even be involved. These people need help. I hope & pray for the victims to get help. Another thing, I hope to see Coney Island Tourist rebuilt.

[PNWest]

@ConserveUSA I for one will be very PO'd if they don't have Nathan's Famous repaired in time for the July 4th hot dog eating contest. That's my favorite sporting event of the whole year. Can anyone defeat Joey Chestnut?

[ConserveUSA]

@PNWest I would be too. I love that event too. I don't know if anyone can defeat Joey.

[PNWest]

@ConserveUSA Kobiashi probably could. But he won't sign the ifoce contract. http://www.ifoce.com/

[martydotcom]

Just hope all the Red States remember how they betrayed CT, NY, NJ next time they get hit with a tornado or a hurricane. Payback is a bitch

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ny-are...

[bsking]

No they should leave it until they can see whats in it. out of the 68,000,000,000 dollars I'll bet you a good portion of its going to be spent eleswhere.

[DerivePI]

"Translation for Dummies" - On the one hand we recognize how dysfuntional these people are and on the other, we give them responsibility for our healthcare funding.
---
The Smith to the Axe Murderer - "You animal, you just murdered my wife!... Do you need your axe sharpened?"

[Yank]

Why is the Federal government paying to rebuild people's homes? Were they not insured? The last report I read had the total economic impact (damage and economic cost) of Sandy at $50 billion, so how is the aid package this much greater than the total economic impact?

[Politicskid]

I agree 100%

[Bobolinsky]

Obama In Hawaii, Fiscal Cliff Standoff (and apparently the Sandy Relief Bill) Behind Him
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/01/02/oba...

[artjeb]

Relife to sandy people was put on the back burner so potus can spend again 12 million dollars to return to the hawian islands to finish his vacation .... when ever that will be

[mtkopf]

Really? And do you know which President has taken the most vacation days? Do you know which President has taken the longest single vacation? Why is is this President not allowed to take a vacation without the right throwing a hissy fit?

[artjeb]

@mtkopf YEAH it eas BUSH the wussie BUT how many has potus taken since he was sworn in ? They all do it & to heck with the vpublic

[mtkopf]

@artjeb less than 100 days in 4 years. Bush was 1022 days in 8 yrs with one stretch at 5 weeks in a row. Now you want to rip on Obama when he takes vacations in line with every other americans 3-4 weeks.

[jessejaymes]

I'm going to upset my liberal friends here but I agree that this bill should be passed with riders for other things in it. ALL disaster relief bills should be stand alone bills with ALL funds going directly to the victims of the disaster be they individuals, towns, counties or states property. NO to tag on bills for Alaskan fisheries. This has to stop.

[mtkopf]

I agree with you. I would like to know who attached exactly which riders to this bill.

[jessejaymes]

I meant to say that this bill should NOT be passed with riders for other things in it.

[ConserveUSA]

@jessejaymes All disaster bills should stand alone.

[RobertJHarsh]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/02/ho...

HA! Eat them apples Rep. King. In case he is not up on current events, the Republicans have suffered bone crushing losses in the election and the bulk of NY and NJ are communist holes. Why should we crack out one red cent to those "utopian paradise for the workers" again? Anyone?

[RobertJHarsh]

Oh...and Christie is a RINO. Kinda obvious.

[mtkopf]

Really? So you ate recommending that the HR not help the victims of Sandy bc they are blue states? Just when I thought I couldn't hear anything more sickening than Fleischer yesterday you prove me wrong.
I am so glad that you ate willing to sacrifice the health and welfare of thousands of children just as punishment for their parents political beliefs. Hey, no loss, they would probably grow up to be democrats right?
You are repugnant.

[wild_turkey6]

"This is the problem with entitlements. They're really only entitlements when they're something other people want. When it's something you want, they're a hallmark of a civilized society, the foundation of a great people."
- Jon Stewart

[Ashstop]

There must be away to blame Bush for this? Come on guys! Every thing about Katrina was his fault! Surly one of us can think up some way to blame him? I got it!!! Lets just blame him, we don't need a reason!

[mimi57]

Gee, and I thought this was all going to be taken care of after Chris Christie and Obama held hands & hugged for
the photo op...Oh, that's right, it WAS for the photo op,how silly of me...sometimes they can still fool the people.
What's Christie been up to lately? We know Obama 's been doing the Hula...Gimme a break!