Obama signs Sandy aid bill

President Barack Obama signs H.R. 41, which temporarily increases the Federal Emergency Management Agency's borrowing authority for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. / White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama has signed into law a $9.7 billion bill to pay flood insurance claims from Superstorm Sandy that devastated northeastern states last October.

The law increases the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA had warned that it was set to run out of money without additional dollars from Congress.

The White House said more than 100,000 flood claim payments from Sandy would be delayed without the additional money.

The House has yet to act on a larger, more comprehensive Sandy aid package. Republican leaders did not bring the bill to the floor before the last session of Congress adjourned.

House Speaker John Boehner has promised a vote Jan. 15 on that $51 billion package, and Senate leaders have promised a vote the following week.

[stamicrach]

We all saw Boehner's true colors when he chose to postpone the release of any funds for Sandy relief for at least two weeks.

If it is the House that issues the funds for the various disasters etc.; it seems to me the House could use a thorough house-CLEANING.!!

[smiddy76-2009]

John92021

Individual Insurance will cover those people prudent enough to have insured their properties. Although much of the money will go to aiding those in immediate need of provisions to survive, a good sum of the relief money will go to repairing the infrastructure that was damaged in the effected areas.

I just wish that people remember that we are all American and beholden to each other in times of need. Without doubt this is one of those times. The quicker we respond with aide the quicker they recover and become an integral part of society again.

[hlmelsaidtwitter]

More comprehensive Federal aid package.

[hlmelsaidtwitter]

More comprehensive Federal aid package.

[nuttyworld]

If bill is for $9.7 billion, I would guess that $ .7 billion goes to victims and $9 bilion goes to pork - or as Nancy Pelosi calls it, "legislative directive investments".

The storm occurred in October - Obama sure wasn't in any hurry to financially help people pump the raw sewage from their basements or to help get rid of the mold.

[vsmit]

RZARC, seems a bit hypocritical that Bush got the blame for Katrina (just google the media articles of the time), yet Obama is completely impotent when it comes to any leadership with Sandy relief.

[john92021]

where did all the premium money these people paid to have insurance go?

[realtimecoffee]

And what percent in unrelated pork?