Hurricane Sandy Relief Finally Passes Congress

Some Republicans compromised and voted for the bill, despite Tea Party opposition

A bill funding $51 billion in emergency aid for Hurricane Sandy's aftermath finally passed the House on Tuesday night. It went through on a 241-180 majority, with 179 Republicans voting against.

The bill will fund repairs to damaged transit in NY and NJ and will also provide funds directly to storm victims.

The vote has been a long time coming. Three weeks ago, Republicans from northeastern states - those hit by Hurricane Sandy - slammed Republican House leadership for its failure to pass the bill before the holidays.

Conservatives were critical of the bill, calling it a "grab-bag of spending." Tea Party-linked House members wanted to add an amendment guaranteeing that other programs would be cut to pay for Sandy relief, but it was voted down by other Republicans plus most Democrats. Republican Tom Cole, who opposed the amendment, urged that "we have never [tied spending offsets to emergency aid] in the past in a disaster, and we certainly shouldn't do so now."

Via the AP.

Are you pleased that some Republicans agreed to pass the Hurricane Sandy relief bill?

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

I guess this is alright. I know the Democrats were trying to use the Sandy catastrophe as an opportunity to load up pork on the relief bill. Thank goodness that got shot down. I don't know if this bill passed pork-free or not. I hope so, Democrats spend enough. And yes, it is okay to look for savings in other areas to make up for the amount being spent on Sandy relief efforts.

[thejimbo]

Any rocks you want to throw at the other side while you're at it?

[Zazziness]

You know no such thing because it isn't true. The relief bill was one-page, pork-free, right from the beginning.

[EnemyCombatant]

There was 1/4 of a billion out of the 60 billion dollar bill that was for unrelated projects. Yea that was worth keeping federal aid from ny and nj. Sad times, republicans pretend to care about being fiscally conservative while proving they don't care about people. Katrina aid was approved 10 days after the levees broke. This is MONTHS later. One of the 67 idiot republicans that voted against the 9 billion in flood relief was actually on the floor of the house asking for money for Katrina in 2012 because they are still suffering. Try suffering in freezing temps jerk.

[Yank]

The latest agreement includes $17 billion to address immediate recovery needs and $33.5 billion for longer-term efforts.

[Yank]

@EnemyCombatant since when are infrastructure improvements to be made over the next decade to combat future storms damange (much to the subway system) part of an emergency bill? That is what most of the money is being spend on. Shouldn't an emergancy bill be just that? Money spent to get people food, shelter, and out of the cold? Why should the fed even be funding most of these in state infrastucture programs?

[Mogal]

Hopefully the folks affected by Sandy can start to get back to some kind of normalcy.

[PNWest]

Anyone who has ever lived through the aftermath of a hurricane would agree. My thoughts and prayers are with these folks. When you are suffering through this it doesn't matter whether the help is coming from democrats or republicans. They just need the help ASAP.

[Mogal]

@PNWest We went through 4 hurricanes in 6 weeks in 04, it was truly awful.

[martydotcom]

@Mogal the joy of Florida life. As they kept coming one after another after Frances I say what are the odds we're going to get hit again... how little I knew

[Mogal]

@martydotcom I was in MO when the first one came through, we didnt get any damage, but the next 3 were just awful. -sigh-

[thejimbo]

I sure wish these clowns in both parties would have passed a law that all disaster aid bills had to be disaster specific and not allow any riders or amendments that had to do with anything beyond that specific disaster and FEMA funding.

Of course I'm living in Fantasyland! For all the big brouhaha about pork being no good it seems that it only counts for everybody else outside whatever district that wants the pork. We all know these guys are more worried about getting re-elected than doing what is right.

[jessejaymes]

that bill has more pork and non related spending in it that it has for relief for people from Sandy. This is exactly what is wrong with America. The sandy storm victims will be lucky to see 10 cents on the dollar by the time it's done.

[Thunderchicken]

Got a list of the pork? I haven't found anything specific.

[jessejaymes]

@Thunderchicken http://www.delawareonline.com/article/2013010...

[Thunderchicken]

@jessejaymes

Thanks

[Thunderchicken]

@jessejaymes

So in other words. the didn't strip out the pork from the last bill. <Goes off to write new congress clown and check ammo prices.>

[Fishbone345]

Yet another bit of proof we need bills to go through without add ons.

[RobertJHarsh]

Excessive spending. Areas should have "rainy day funds" built up in case of disasters. Only then I would approve of grab bag measures like this. In the case of NY and NJ, two of the most taxed regions on Earth, one would think they would have already done that.

I say let'em eat cake.

[whataGOVwehave]

Another day late and a dollar short.

[MaxPain]

Stunes me to the Bone that republicans acted so fast and that Bonner orange Boy got them to Vote.

[Vance1]

senator obama debt ceiling 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

can you say "Liberal Hypocrasy?"

[Thunderchicken]

So what pork was in the bill? The "AP" link to the Huffpo didn't provide any detail. Nor has any of my news feeds.

[Thunderchicken]

@Mogal

Business Insider had a story but no details.

[jessejaymes]

An example of the pork in the Hurricane Sandy bill...http://www.delawareonli ne.com/article/20130104/OPINIO N16/301040004/Hurricane-Sandy- pork

[Jim49418]

WOW!.......all these years that we've heard liberals complaining that it took Bush 10 days to pass a bill to provide aid to the victims of Katrina. But not a peep from them when Obama takes over 70 days after Sandy.
Obama has had the option all along to use his "exdecutive privilege" to do so, but for some reason he chose not to.
Go figure.

[MadAmerican]

Sandy didn't hit a Muslim country that's why he didn't use executive privilidge.

[thejimbo]

@MadAmerican Derp.

[Raptor]

This should have been done a long time ago. Disaster relief should be mandatory, you don't play with people's lives with partisan politics and bickering.

[Mia]

$2 million for repair of the roof on the smithsonian.$150 million for fish hatcheries in alaska $41 million to repair guantanamo bay.

[DARSB]

Too bad the GOP had to be shamed into doing the right thing.

[CaryNickel]

Disaster relief is not the business of the Federal Government. ANY disaster relief bill is wholly unconstitutional and constitutes excessive spending.

[MadAmerican]

Can I ask a legitemate question? Doesn't anyone who lives next to the water have flood insurance? Why are we giving people money when insurance companies should be paying claims? Someone help me understand this.

[Mbjhug]

In a lot of cases, and mostly with people near flowing water, Flood insurance is an OPTION, not included with homeowners insurance. The insurance companies gouge you for the insurance for the individuals/families that need it the most. Crony capitalism at it's finest.

[MadAmerican]

@Mbjhug I understand that but I just saw a woman on TV yesterday that is still waiting for a check from the insurance company so they can begin to rebuild. This is where the government needs to ensure the insurance companies are paying the claims instead of waiting for the government to come in and pay part first. I know flood insurance is high but if you are going to live in a flood zone and you don't have it I do not think I should have to pay for your losses. Sure it sucks that these people had this happen, but if you didn't have the insurance then I feel you are on your own. How many more people can the government take care of? It's time that the government cut programs to the lazy and inept and started making people work for a living and become responsible. And that means taking care of all the kids you willingly have just to draw a check. People need to be responsible and quit mooching off the government every time they stub their toe.

[Mbjhug]

@MadAmerican You're right; there needs to be a bit of personal responsibility for where you live. I get up in arms about people who live in trailer parks, get hit by tornadoes every year, but still go back. Why do you just not move somewhere else?

So let me paint this scene for you. Your parents die prematurely (lets just say for the sake of argument, a car accident) and they leave you a house on the coast of New Jersey. It still has a mortgage on it, and if you are paying for it you might as well live there. It's better than a 2 bed room apartment any day, with cheaper rent! So you move in and you find a decently paying job. Find a girl, get married, have kids. Your income allows you to have all the amenities you need, including that comprehensive "cover anything under God's green Earth" package. Life is great. Now, the economy collapses. You lose your job. You are behind on bills. You have to start trimming the fat. First to go would be the insurance. Maybe not all together, but it's at least slimmed down to just basic. Next, your move would be to find somewhere cheaper to live, but you can't find anything close by, and you and the family working (you have two jobs to keep up) so there is little time looking for a way out, only just getting by. Your kid(s) leave to start their life, and so does their income. You have to cancel insurance all together (assuming this is after cutting everything else unnecessary) to make it. THREE DAYS LATER you get hit by Super Storm Sandy. You heard about it on the news and made preparations and evacuated with your belongings. You can get most things, but you can't uproot your house, which gets destroyed. Totally. You have lost everything, literally. Since you just recently canceled your insurance, you can't even recoup some of the loss. Everything you have worked for, flushed down the toilet through no fault of your own.

Now, yes this is a very specific story that I just made up, but I know there are many many people who share a similar story. I don't think the majority of the people are lazy and expecting a hand out (I'm not going to be naive and say that it never happens either). How can you predict several years into the future about a force of nature, when you can't even do it within a month? Yes it does suck. Yes you should be responsible. But I think there are WAY more people who are caught in the middle than on either hand.

Why is it that we get all up in arms about helping our fellow human beings in a time of need, but turn a blind eye to the greed, corruption, cold-hearted and evil corporations that are slowly enslaving us and destroying our only home?

[MadAmerican]

@Mbjhug I was not saying that we shouldn't help our fellow Americans, and yes there are exceptions to every rule, but has anyone noticed that when an earthquake hits a foreign country that we have food and aide on the way within 24 hours? Yes, I know people don't have flood insurance but for those that did the insurance companies haven't paid a lot of them yet. Where is the law enforcement on this. You know that the longer insurance companies can keep their money the more interest they make on it. Also they train their adjusters to say no, so they can enrich their yearly bonuses.

[MalloryGrace]

It seems we spend billions to take care of people who hate us, like Iraq & Afghanistan. I'd like to see these billions taking care of Americans first!!!

[tomincali]

i know a few guys who follow these things for the offensively high pay issued out. tons of money to be made. the least they could do would be makes sure all these jobs coming up only go to citizens.

[thejimbo]

Why do we have to bail out idiots that build on rivers and coastlines. Buy insurance!