House passes $50.7 billion Sandy relief bill

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2012, file photo, a man walks with his dog to a National Guard vehicle after leaving his flooded home at the Metropolitan Trailer Park in Moonachie, N.J., in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The storm drove New York and New Jersey residents from their homes, destroyed belongings and forced them to find shelter for themselves - and for their pets, said owners, who recounted tales of a dog swimming through flooded streets and extra food left behind for a tarantula no one was willing to take in. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File) / Craig Ruttle

The House of Representatives today passed a $50.7 billion bill to provide funds for Hurricane Sandy relief as well as other natural disasters. The vote was 241 to 180, with 179 Republicans and one Democrat voting no.

The bill will now move to the Senate, where it is expected to be passed by lawmakers after the new session begins on January 22, though it's possible it could be passed by voice vote this week. It is then expected to be quickly signed into law by President Obama.

The package was divided into two parts: A $17 billion bill for immediate recovery from Sandy, and another $33.7 billion amendment for long-term recovery and investment to limit the damage from similar events in the future. The October storm is believed to be responsible for 140 deaths and billions of dollars in damage centered in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. It damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses and knocked out transit systems and power grids.

• Congress passes $9.7B Sandy relief bill
• Amid backlash, Boehner schedules Sandy vote

The package provides more than $16 billion for the New York and New Jersey transit systems as well as more $16 billion for Housing and Urban Development funding for recovery from Sandy and other disasters. Other funding goes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief aid fund and to Army Corps of Engineers projects to limit future damage. Funding is also authorized for repairs by the Coast Guard, Federal Highway Administration and Veterans Affairs Department.

Lawmakers from the Northeast criticized southern Republican lawmakers who had sought to reduce the size of the package or require that funding be offset with an across the board cut to discretionary spending. An amendment from Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., that would have offset the funding with spending cuts failed 162 yeas to 258 nays earlier in the day, and the Republican-led House Rules Committee blocked efforts to reduce the size of the package.

"We are asking, we are pleading and we shouldn't have to beg for money for the Northeast, to be able to survive this tragedy that hit us," said Rep. Rosa Delauro, D-Conn., who added: "I might remind my colleague from Louisiana that between Rita, Wilma and Katrina, this institution appropriated $133.9 billion in disaster relief."

Critics of the bill derided it as "an excuse for a grab-bag of spending, having nothing to do with emergency relief," in the words of Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif.

The Senate passed a $60 billion Sandy relief bill before the end of the last Congress, but House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, declined to schedule a House vote on that measure in the wake of the contentious vote on "fiscal cliff" legislation. That decision prompted harsh criticism from northeastern lawmakers, including Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., forcing Boehner to hastily schedule today's vote in addition to $9.7 billion in flood relief that was passed Jan. 4.

[whaas2]

Whee is the money going to come from? The federal govermnt as already reached its legal limit for borrowing more money. With more than 16 trillion dollars of existing debt, I estimate that the money that the federal government is curretly borrowing will end up costing the tax payers 10 times the amount borrwed to repay over the next 170 years. Having to pay 10 times the going rate for goods and services is not a good deal. It is bad management.

[esnation]

Republican congress passes bill to spend 50+ BILLION dollars on hurricane relief...but believes in SMALLER goverment...and... refuses to raise debt ceiling for money they have ALREADY spent.....hmmmm.....MORONS!

[magnumdr]

We are never going to get out of debt with spendaholics like this in offices.

[KPeters_from_UK]

RAYMAILHOT replies: Kpeters are you still reeling from the time the tea party kicked the UK out? Why all the hate? It is only logical to stay away from flood zones.
----------------------


Until the IRS stops taking my money I'll continue to speak.

It is only logical to stay away from hurrican zones.

It is only logical to stay away from drought zones.

It is only logical to stay away from forest fire zones.

It is only logical to stay away from earthquake zones.

It is only logical to stay away from tornado zones.


Did I forget any?

RAYMAILHOT that was a very silly comment. You have just told most Americans to vacant their homes. Where the hell are they going to go?

[epluribus22]

" It damaged or destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses"
Show me the data -- no way it did- 200,000, 300,000? Malarkey!

[omnibus66]

National polls indicate that the majority of Americans believe that the pugs are on the wrong side of almost every issue. So who elected these idiots? Makes me really wonder about the sanity and motivation behind anyone who would vote for the likes of a Michelle Bachman or a Paul Ryan.

[lucky57e10]

Totaling over 60 billion, good deal if you can get it.

$3000 for every man, woman, and child in new york state.

Well, well, well

7 million don't pay gas tax,
car insurance,
Home insurance,
7 million who receive
rent subsidies,
tax credits,
food stamps,
medicare
the list is extensive
and only one democrat voted against this pork
you goofs elected these people
have a nice day:-)))

[antoniof123]

You know this money goes to rebuild but hey when a major storm or whatever hits your state you stand up and say WE DON'T WANT IT real loud so everyone can hear you and the whole state.

That way we don't send you any money.

Monkey logic is what you use.

Plus didn't you get the message America knows about the 47% and they also know that they don't pay taxes because they earn too little they are retired or in school.

MONKEY LOGIC.

Have a nice day.

[lucky57e10]

very funny af123 "this money goes to rebuild" not all the pork!!
monkey logic?
the state i reside in is a BLUUUUUUUUUE state
I am retired
I am "really" disabled Stoke victim
I PAID taxes for 32 years
I am now PART OF THE 47% Not by choice
So take your monkey logic and chew it

Have a nice day:)

[payasyougo]

It is critical that congress pass the two bills totaling $16B in Sandy relief and $44B in pork because it is important that aid go to the victims. It's just national debt someone else can deal with later.

[raymailhot]

Sounds like a small piece $17B is for Sandy and the rest is ? Future? $37B?

And the president doesn't think we have a spending problem?

[JJ_in_tulsa]

As I promised, the Washington Post is the most bigoted stupid group of people in the US. And I can guarantee you, this is true. There is no salvation, because there is not a one of them to understand how stupid they are. OK,, game

[omnibus66]

Very doubtful that they come anywhere near the folks at Fake News when the criteria is stupidity or bigotry.