A $51.7 billion Hurricane Sandy relief package was approved by the U.S. Senate Monday evening, two weeks after narrowly gaining approval in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill was approved easily by a 62-36 margin and will proceed to President Barack Obama's desk to be adopted into law.
The disaster funding joins a separate bill of more than $9 billion approved by Congress to fund the National Flood Insurance Program, a necessary step in paying insurance claims of the east coast's flood victims.
In all, $60.4 billion in Sandy-related aid is expected to be signed into law by the President.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-4, lauded the Senate's passage of the aid bill in a statement released Monday night.
"This legislation brings the total federal appropriations to $60.4 billion, offering significant assistance to begin a robust and sustainable recovery,” he said. "The predictability and certainty that comes with passing this aid ensures that the work proceeds faster, comprehensively, and without interruption."
The relief package, HR 152, passed in Congress 241-180, with 179 of the no votes coming from Congressional Republicans. Despite challenges from the GOP, the bill passed thanks to the votes of local legislators and sympathetic Republicans from other disaster-stricken areas.
Rep. Jon Runyan, R-3, said the funding will be used efficiently and effectively to aid in recovery.
"With Senate passage, and the President’s eventual signature, these dollars will go to help families and businesses in New Jersey rebuild," he said in a statement. "The Northeast has waited too long for these critical dollars, however, I am glad that the final product of this legislation is focused specifically on regions directly impacted by Hurricane Sandy."
In a statement, Obama pledged a commitment to the victims of Sandy, indicating that he would sign the bill into law as soon as it reaches his desk.
"My Administration remains committed to supporting our state and local partners and bringing every resource to bear as we help our neighbors rebuild. And we will continue to work closely with Governors and mayors to ensure this money is used appropriately," he said in a released statement.
Katrina and Haiti got help right after their disasters. Congress is a disgrace in America and needs to be replaced along with Potus.. These Bozos screwed the East Coast on this storm but God for bid if we don't send our payment to Washington. They should rename D.C. to Clown City USA or Bozo World...
Two billion dollars is for highway repairs anywhere in the country covered by any disaster declaration in 2011, 2012 or yet to occur in the next ten years – including up to $20 million each for American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands – that aren't even in the same ocean as Hurricane Sandy. Sixteen billion dollars (about $150 for your family) goes to quintuple the Community Development Block Grant Program. That's a political slush fund that pays for such projects as a “Doggie Day Care Center” in Ohio and a “Day at the Circus” for Nyack, New York. The program's legal authorization expired in 1994, and since then, the Office of Management and Budget has repeatedly branded it “ineffective,” the bureaucracy's polite term for unaccountable. Last year, Congress appropriated $3.4 billion for this program; the Hurricane relief bill knocks it up to nearly $20 billion, with no requirement that it be spent in the Hurricane zone. Another $6 billion is earmarked for future public transit programs entirely unrelated to any storm damage. There's $111 million for weather satellites. How can a hurricane damage an orbiting weather satellite? Good question. We might need more or better weather satellites or data, but that can hardly be called “emergency repairs and relief.” And you want to know why the Republicans took so long to vote on? Because the Dems INFLATED IT, for themselves!
you need to verify that your address is correct on the ABFE maps, I went down to municipal bldg in Toms River, they printed the map out for me with my address & it is not my house, it is not even my street. The house they pulled up is in a V zone. We then went & clicked on my house & the address in the window was incorrect for my house, but the zone was correct, I'm in an A zone. I went on Google Maps & its incorrect there, I sent and error report to Google & got a response that they will email me when it is corrected. My whole neighborhood is incorrect on those maps. Am I the only person that has found this problem?
I cannot believe how our middle aged (50-60) and elderly (60+) have allowed policits to get so damned polarizing. You've been asleep at the switch blaming everyone but yourself!!! Now it's time for the younger voters of the country to fix this fine mess - shame on you!!!
The Republicans for whining ineffectively without forming an alternative bill. The Democrats for voting in the pork. They both should have been able to compromise by going line by line to offer justification for these questionable expenses. I can see the benefit from satellites for advance weather warnings now that they have gutted NASA.... but why provide funds for what is essentially a slush fund that has been defunded? The point is; they ALL work for us. We SHOULD ask them to account for what they spend our money on. We are the one who will be paying it back. Heaven knows they ALL had plenty of time to actually do their jobs.