New York Congressman Peter King (center), on the steps of the US Capitol with first responders and storm victims celebrating the passage of the Sandy Aid bill.
Queens will finally have their Sandy aid.
The House of Representative passed a $50.7 billion emergency aid package yesterday for the regions ravaged by Superstorm Sandy, calming fears in the northeast that the desperately needed funds would be help up in Congress. The bill passed 241 to 180 with 49 Republicans joining 192 Democrats. The Democrat-controlled Senate is expected to pass the measure.
Governor Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie lauded the passage of the bill. A nearly $10 billion aid package was also passed earlier this month.
“We are grateful to those members of Congress who today pulled together in a unified, bipartisan coalition to assist millions of their fellow Americans in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut at their greatest time of need. The tradition of Congress being there and providing support for Americans during times of crisis, no matter where they live across this great country, lives on in today’s vote in the House of Representatives,” the governors said in a joint statement.
“We anticipate smooth passage when this package moves back to the Senate for final approval and for this long-awaited relief to finally make its way to our residents.”
The emergency aid measure will help repair homes that have been damaged or destroyed, provide assistance to business owners, reinforce shorelines, repair subway and commuter rail systems, mend bridges and tunnels and reimburse local governments for various emergency expenditures. Fiscal conservatives criticized the bill for spending provisions that had nothing to do with Sandy and Republican Speaker John Boehner initially failed to bring a Sandy aid bill to vote before the end of 2012, drawing fire from Democrats and northeast Republicans.
U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley, the chair of the Queens Democratic Party, immediately hailed the passage of the bill, which was still well short of the $82 billion identified in damage by the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Crowley did lament that the passage didn’t come sooner.
“Seventy nine days after Hurricane Sandy hit our communities Congress is finally doing what it should have done months ago: taking action,” said Crowley said. “This bill should have never been tied up in political gamesmanship, but the wait is over and a much-needed hand will now be extended to the communities, families, and small businesses devastated by Hurricane Sandy. This aid package will ensure New York’s infrastructure is rebuilt to be better and stronger than ever, small businesses will have the cash flow they need to get back to work, and preventive measures are put in place to protect our City against future storms.”
U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, who represents the Rockaways, agreed with Crowley.
“After an unnecessarily long delay, the House has finally passed a bill to provide the essential aid Superstorm Sandy victims need to recover,” he said. “The Eastern Seaboard has waited for far too long for this vital assistance, but I welcome the bipartisan support we saw tonight in the House.
By Ross Barkan
