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Boehner Relents on Sandy Aid Bill

Congress expected to vote on first part of package Friday.

House Speaker John Boehner promised to hold votes on a $60 billion Hurricane Sandy disaster relief package over the next two weeks, following his meeting with Rep. Peter King of New York on Wednesday.

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Congress is expected to vote Friday on $9.7 billion for the National Flood Insurance Program and the remaining $50.3 billion will go to the House floor for a vote on Jan. 15, where it will be split roughly into an $18-billion bill and a $33-billion amendment. If approved, the Senate must vote on all the pieces of the aid package, with a final vote expected the following week, according to Newsday.

Congress was expected to vote on the disaster relief package Wednesday, but Boehner, R-Ohio, pulled the bill — aimed at providing funding to storm-ravaged communities in New Jersey and New York, from Long Beach to the Hamptons — during a late night session of the “fiscal cliff” vote Tuesday. Since a new Congress will be sworn in Thursday, the relief package would have to return to the Senate, where a similar version of the bill was approved last Friday. The cancelled vote effectively delays certain funds that require authorization, such as FEMA disaster money.

King, R-Seaford, took to the House floor Tuesday and condemned Boehner’s decision to cancel the vote on the relief package as “absolutely inexcusable, absolutely indefensible.” But after his meeting with the speaker in the Capital with other GOP lawmakers from New York and New Jersey on Wednesday, King provided an explanation for the cancelled vote. Said King: 

"The speaker had made the decision that with what was going on with the fiscal cliff it wasn't the right time to bring it up. We agreed to disagree. Obviously, we made our position clear last night … What's important as far as I'm concerned is, we got the absolute commitment to bring the whole $60 billion beginning on Friday and concluding on Jan. 15."

In a joint statement released Wednesday, Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, said: "Getting critical aid to the victims of Hurricane Sandy should be the first priority in the new Congress, and that was reaffirmed today with members of the New York and New Jersey delegations.”

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Eddie January 3, 2013 at 03:46 pm
So what about the $28 Billion in unrelated PORK that the Democrats sneaked into the bill? We'll be on the hook for that too?
Patrick Smith January 3, 2013 at 03:59 pm
eddie you want people back in there homes and families re united ,shut the f,,,, up
Tideline January 3, 2013 at 04:59 pm
Eddie, that inflated Bill had more Pork in it than a Democratic Pork Hogie.
tom cavanaugh January 3, 2013 at 06:06 pm
BOEHNER could hold a vote in the next two minutes----he is a day late and a dollar short---someone with no conscience- ---- -we always knew he had no heart and very very small cannolis--he is what you call a gutless punk---how does someone like him put his head on the pillow at night----.not the way to start the year off but enough is enough i am bent out of shape-------------tom cavanaugh---blue point
paul.d.spellman January 3, 2013 at 07:42 pm
Mr Smith, How exactly would passage of this bill assisted in getting "people back in there homes and families re united"?
Tonto Hertzberg January 3, 2013 at 07:50 pm
Anyone that voted for the GOP five days AFTER Sandy hit is an idiot beyond belief.
Imagine walking thru all this s**t and debris to vote for people that hate you and left you with nothing. Idiots.
Andrea Gallo DiLoreto January 3, 2013 at 08:07 pm
Agreed Tom. Could not believe that he left that vote on the table and walked out like a callous schmuck. Never mind what "pork" that bill was filled with . These people still need help.....NOW!
They can't fix their homes because insurance companies are low balling their claims (which is a whole other story) Recovery is taking way too long. But they don't care. It has nothing to do with them personally. If a relative of one of them still had no heat, hot water OR home after 67 days, you know that bill would have been the first on the table. Sickening.
Nicholas Catalano January 3, 2013 at 08:19 pm
Can you explain why Boehner pulled the bill off of the table?
No, you can't. God forbid you tell the whole story.
Nibor January 3, 2013 at 10:52 pm
If they would take all the pork out of bills we could have straight up and down votes. Unfortunately, NY's and NJ's aid is connected with a bunch of other BS from both sides of the aisle. Even more unfortunate is that Americans not only tolerate Congress' nonsense, but put them right back there every two years.
JOAN ENSULO January 4, 2013 at 01:13 am
get with the program BOEHNER we desperately need help ASAP we re hurting very bably & for someone like me its extremely overwhelming PETER KING IS THE MAN he was here he saw for himself be A MAN almost like him HELP NOW i was happy when you became speaker & POLOSI got the BOOT so you better do YOUR JOB don t put us on the back burner PUT YOUR $ WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS GET US HELP NOW
Andrea Gallo DiLoreto January 4, 2013 at 02:19 am
People need to stop re-electing these clowns. Clean house, maybe things will actually get done.
M. Perrotta January 4, 2013 at 03:45 pm
If they were all so outraged over Boehner's actions ,then why did he retain his position as speaker ??
Also why didn't Cuomo, Christie and King speak out before to ensure that this vote took place in a timely fashion, they all knew we have a do nothing congress
Zigsauered January 4, 2013 at 05:53 pm
We should not be force paying for others that choose to live in a high risk area! This is an entitlement that they can NO longer afford! Build inland...duh!!!!!!
tom cavanaugh January 4, 2013 at 07:58 pm
His own party voted him in ---enough said.---everybody but you M.perrotta knows the republican leadership in congress is morally bankrupt---HELLO!!!!---------to zigsauered-- since when is SANDY HOOK ahigh risk area people have lived in this area for well over 100 years and never had a problem----and by the way 98% of the great people in that area work their tail off to make a living----time to take a time out my friend---or is it DUH!!!!-------------------tom cavanaugh---blue point
Zigsauered January 4, 2013 at 09:14 pm
They had a little storm 2 years ago and it will happen again. I've worked my tail off too and knew 50 years ago that it was coming to a coast line any where e.g. tsunami, hurricane or typhoon, but didn't expect to pay for others behavior of living in these risky areas! Once the government forces hard working tax payers like me to pay for risky behavior then yes I am ready to move too. As I write this I too am looking for coastal property, but more of the sub tropical...duh. I wish I did it years ago! What a great entailment!
M. Perrotta January 4, 2013 at 11:40 pm
Tom Cavanaugh, I guess you didn't understand my comment,or don't understand sarcasm !
Tonto Hertzberg January 6, 2013 at 03:28 pm
Call Pete Kings office.
Tell him that REGARDLESS of how he votes, you will hold the ENTIRE GOP NY delegation responsible if their redneck scumbag cohorts try to hold up the January 15th vote for the money to fix the boardwalk and the rest of NY & NJ. Tell him that if those pos hacks from the South want to stay in the majority in 2014 they had better cough up that dough. Dont sit back and take this nonsense from these rats. Tell King to tell his boss, that drunken nicotine faced pos Boner that we will put the ENTIRE NY & NJ GOP Congressional delegations out on the street, and thereby wreck their majority, if we dont get what we PAID for...........our insurance claim paid out fairly!
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
BSM June 19, 2013 at 01:39 pm
While I agree there seem to be problems in the LB school district, I'm not sure this takes intoRead More account the financial reasons for opting for NCCC. For many families finances, not academic performance dictates the college. I think a more meaningful number would be the percentage of graduating seniors attending ANY college.
Richard Horn June 19, 2013 at 04:01 pm
The smart thing is going to NCC for two years and then transferring to a 4 yr school.. If they can'tRead More cut it at NCC, the parents save a ton of money. NCC is a pretty fine 2 yr school. You get out of it what you put in.
Fred Weintroub June 19, 2013 at 10:45 am
That STUPID Trapeze thing and the fence around it on the lot adjacent to the Boardwalk is going toRead More cost us Volley Ball players and Beach goers about 30 to 40 parking spaces. Whoever thought this thing up should get their Heads
Charlie Cheswick June 19, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Jimmy Two-Times here, going to get the papers, get the papers...
js June 19, 2013 at 12:18 pm
I SAW A SUV WITH ADVERTISING ON IT FOR A TRAPEZE IN LB--I WAS WHERE IT WAS--
awesome June 19, 2013 at 09:19 am
just when i thought i had seen it all
Penny Riordan June 19, 2013 at 10:51 am
Hi Nicholas. Thanks for using the boards. Your post may work better as a blog, where you can addRead More photos and have a headline. From the homepage, click the 'start blogging' button in green about halfway down. Fill in the fields and then your blog will appear on the homepage. Let me know if you have any questions: penny.riordan@patch.com. Thanks!
AEA President June 18, 2013 at 04:46 pm
yes - by sheer coincidence, their employees work more overtime than ever before in their last 3Read More years of employment before retirement (as it so happens, their pension is based in part on their last 3 years of employment).
Jack Kett June 18, 2013 at 07:41 pm
Bottom line re: LIRR is that people in suburbs who ride LIRR and Metro North are paying to subsidizeRead More the bankrupt NYC Subways and subsidize minority riders in the outer boros. Its the price we pay to not live in NYC. The subways charges a cheap fixed fare to subsidize low income NYC residents. Its a form of socialism.
Joe June 18, 2013 at 08:19 pm
Jack, racist much? Why don't you go have a tea party with the rest of the little Republican girls?
Eddie June 18, 2013 at 02:55 pm
Great photos, Richard. With joists like those, you could drive a firetruck up that thing!
Lobster June 19, 2013 at 07:38 am
The first one at LB Road, the second at National? or that's got to be one big ramp from LB Road toRead More National. Anyone proof read anymore ?
richard skinner June 19, 2013 at 03:33 pm
it's first one at long beach road
Eddie June 18, 2013 at 08:24 am
Sink hole repaired by the City by 6 PM. Great job by great guys.
Eddie June 16, 2013 at 09:53 pm
Because the Democrats fired all the engineers in City government and replaced them with politicalRead More friends.
Eugene Torres June 17, 2013 at 07:57 am
Heron St is like a bombed out war zone. Many of the residents drive the wrong way to avoid theRead More potholes at the beginning of the street.
AEA President June 18, 2013 at 06:45 am
Solomon why hast thou forsakeneth?
TJM June 18, 2013 at 12:56 pm
I'm glad I live in the Town of Hempstead No new taxes in Four years. The streets are clean and theRead More storm drains work. I had aead tree replaced for $170.00 byb the town. Read and weep Long Beac
Charlie Cheswick June 18, 2013 at 03:13 pm
"Working" storm drains like the one between Regent & Greenway on Lido Blvd?
jacqueline gay June 16, 2013 at 08:06 pm
Thank you for your comments... still looking
Dr. Sidney A. Stiebel June 18, 2013 at 07:40 pm
Paninis & Bikinis may still be hiring.
jacqueline gay June 18, 2013 at 09:18 pm
Thank you Dr Steibel
Susie Pennachio June 15, 2013 at 09:13 am
yeeeepppp i always see people trying to get thru it or go around it to get onto the beach
Jaime Sumersille (Editor) June 15, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Thanks for the notice, Ally! I posted this on Facebook to make people aware! - Jaime Sumersille,Read More Regional Editor, Nassau County
RackEmUp Gomez June 14, 2013 at 03:55 pm
Those murderers from Boston were students, right? How about importing some kids from Brooklyn thatRead More need help? Lets stop being patsys.
Eddie June 14, 2013 at 07:55 pm
More Patch Spam. Look up any charity on GuideStar and see their tax return. Then you can decide ifRead More you want to support their executives with your contributions.