[Update 3:57 p.m.] U.S. House Speaker John Boehner has assured lawmakers that the House will vote on $60 billion in aid related to Superstorm Sandy by January 15, a group of lawmakers from New York and New Jersey told reporters Wednesday afternoon.
[Initial post, 2:22 p.m.] New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he doesn't know why House Speaker John Boehner didn't allow a vote on a $60 billion aid package to help Superstorm Sandy victims Tuesday or Wednesday, but he's steamed about it.
"There's only one group to blame for the continued suffering" of Sandy victims, and that's Boehner and the House Republican leadership, Christie told reporters Wednesday afternoon.
“Shame on you. Shame on Congress,” Christie, a Republican, said.
Christie is just one of many New Jersey and New York politicians upset that the House did not consider the aid proposal on the final two full days of the 112th Congress. A new Congress will be sworn in on Thursday. The Senate had passed a bill that would have provided billions of dollars in aid to victims, but the process will begin anew with the new Congress.
Sandy killed at least 113 people in the U.S. and left millions of people without power after running up the East Coast in late October. The storm hit hardest in New York and New Jersey.
Christie said he was given assurances that the House would consider the package after it dealt with the fiscal cliff deal that it passed Tuesday night. But late Tuesday, he said, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor told him that the "authority for the (Sandy) vote was pulled by the speaker."
Christie said he then "called the speaker four times last night, and he didn’t take my calls."
"Every day that we don’t begin to get this aid are days that we can’t get people back in their homes, get businesses reopened. ... It’s absolutely disgraceful,” Christie said.
Getting the fiscal cliff deal passed in the House undoubtedly held up the relief measure, and many conservative House Republicans opposed the size of the Senate bill. Some said there were many unrelated provisions in it for items that were not emergency needs.
House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Kentucky, told reporters off the House floor late Tuesday that "leadership was all-consumed with the cliff procedure ... and they really have not had the time to devote to this because of that."
Up until Tuesday night, GOP leaders were working toward a plan of splitting up the vote into two measures: one providing $27 billion for immediate needs and another amendment offering $33 billion for longer-term recovery efforts.
Rogers said he was ready to move his scaled-back bill but did not give a timetable for the vote in the next Congress.
"FEMA has plenty of money, there's no immediate needs," he said, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
U.S. Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who also is upset that the House didn't vote on the package, told CNN Wednesday that Rogers "doesn't know what he's talking about."
"The FEMA money is not going to rebuild businesses, that's not going to provide food and shelter, and it's not going to reimburse the local governments," he said.
The bill included grant funding for owners of homes and businesses, as well as funding for public improvement projects on the electric grid, hospitals and transit systems to prevent damage from future storms.
King called the House leadership's move a "knife in the back." Boehner did not immediately respond publicly to King's assertions.
Michael Steel, Boehner's spokesman, said the speaker is "committed to getting this bill passed this month."
Both New Jersey and New York are moocher states, out for the dole.
GO THUMP ON YOUR BIBLE A WHILE-the civil war is over-or come visit us moochers and we will show you what real life is all about
Baseless claim . . . the fact is both New York and New Jersey contribute more in federal tax dollars than they get back in services from the Federal government. So in fact – these two state subsidize the true moocher states.
Actually the RED States take more than the taxes their people pay to the Federal Government.
Actually both NY and NJ pay more in federal taxes than they get back. Unlike the South which would be a third world country without the extra federal tax dollars that it receives.
New Jersey and New York give more money to the federal government then they get back. They are not moochers. For that you would have to look to the South.
NY and NJ send more tax dollars to Washington and receive the least aid out of all the states in the Union, but we're "Moocher States". What an ignorant comment.
New Jersey is actually least mooching state in the country.
You're right. The GOP is the moocher, and they go to New York and New Jersey to get their fix. Whenever the GOP needs a handout, they run right to Madison Avenue.
New York and New Jersey can't stand GOP as it is, and you see why......
BD
Please confirm that NY and NJ pay less in federal tax than they consume. Like most blue states they are subsidising the red states. I will need to review this evening. Right now on my lunch break
Just do a search on "State Contribution to Federal Budget" and you'll see a bunch of articles. States contributing the most / getting the least are: 1) Delaware 2) Minnesota 3) New Jersey 4) Connecticut 5) New York.
well said, Jack Waggon
"I once felt sorry for the man who was not GOP......until I became the man who was one."
– Peter King/Chris Christie
BD
Gov Christie is getting stuffed by the republicans because he worked with the President before the election
That's exactly how they operate.
You are right sir...........
can't the people that live by the water in NY, NJ and CT afford homeowners insurance?
Corc: What planet do you live on? Homeowners does not pay for this damage
Homeowners does not pay for this but even if it did...I ask again WHO IS GOING TO REBUILD THE ROAD TO GET TO YOUR HOUSE?
"Shame on you," said the morbidly obese man.
And Christie's obesity has what to do with the issue at hand, exactly?
That fat boy would put you to shame anyday, his weight problem has nothing to do with what he does for the GOOD people of NJ-now climb back under your rock
What does his weight have to do with anything? Just like the typical uneducated, attempting to be relevant, and hiding behind a computer moron....your best case for a contemplative comment is an irrelevant insult. OK. Based on your standard of relevancy...YOU WIN!
To the stupid go the spoils. Happy New Year. Moron.
Welcome to the USA that we all live in Mr King and Mr Christie. nice to have you on our side for a change.
As a Jersey girl born and raised and a democrat I agree with you 100%. I have every faih that Christie will switch sides, just as Juliani did and others after him
Well Mr. Christie, the party has left you as well, maybe time for you to leave the party?
I hope he does. The Republican Party doesn't deserve his support. Right now, they don't deserve *anyone's* support.
I think that too.. They should switch parties.. Or go down with the one they are in.. Cause America is sick of the GOP.
How much pork was in the bill? We need to hear the whole story. If it was just the aid package they didn't vote on, shame on them. If the senate filled it with pork that is unrelated to the Sandy disaster, shame on the senate.
They need to stop all the pork...
Only 27 billion of the 60 billion dollar bill was for Sandy victims. The rest was PORK.
Go read it.
People keep saying this like they expect someone to read the bill to them.
I'm guessing you're part of the problem.
Christie. Acting and sounding more and more like a Democrat with each passing day. The GOP does not need RINOs like you!
LOL, he wont e the only one abandoning your party of dinosaurs...just wait and see
That's not very nice, no wonder the GOP is becoming the party to hate, it's filled with haters like you.
Boehner is only acting like the Republican motto - take as much as you can and forget about others.
I am born, bred and raised in NJ-and yes my family is still suffering because of that beloved hate mongering party so dont preach to me about anything to do with that party-THEY ARE DINOSAURS, THEY ARE HATE MONGERS, AND THEY ARE LIARS AND CHEATS
That's a Republican for you. Always looking out for their own best interest and not our country. Shamless act!
Why are they asking for 60 billion for? Isn't that what FEMA is for, to assist victims during the crises? Isn't that what insurance is for, to help themselves? Why are more of my TAX dollars being wasted without my approval?
I'll give you back your tax dollars spent on disaster relief if you give me back my tax dollars that have been spent on corporate welfare.
Too hard to help your neighbor up ?
Why is this a Republican problem. It's about time our government got out of bailing out these useless poor jerks who are attached to the government for their existence. I whole heartedly support end to ALL welfare, bailout,food stamps, medicaid,childcare subsidy for poor,pell grants etc etc. Earn your own money and stop looking at the government for handout.
easy for you to say, you have a computer and most likely you have food and shelter. Many people don't
Yes, of COURSE you're against Pell grants, because the last thing you want is for the poor to get an education and a fighting chance at making a life for themselves. Also, I hope you get hit by a major natural disaster and see all of your riches flushed down the toilet, so you can have a taste of what it's like to be on the other side for a change.
Proud Republican you call yourself? More like 'mindless moron'!!
Yeah, all those 'slacker' seniors and disabled that are living like welfare queens in nursing homes that are being paid for by 'welfare and medicaid' need to get out there and get a job and support themselves! Who exactly do you think pays for all the nursing home care? Social security and medicare? Not by half. Fool.
What the hell does that have to do with disaster relief? Idiot.
you're an idiot!
Its obvious you are angry because you are witnessing the fate of your sick and twisted party unfold before your very eyes. How does that feel? Please respond...because I REALLY want to know.
I hope the American public realises that the Republican party does not care about them and vote them out come mid election!
The party is not their parent. Lean how to get ahead or simply die.It's sink or swim baby.
A message to all politicians. . .the more you grand stand, the more you don't get things done in a timely manner, the more you don't do what is expected of you, the more of you will end up on the chopping block at the next election. And don't think for one minute that Americans aren't paying attention. You all have the power to do what's right. So do it !
So why would a Republican-led House give $60B in government handouts, seems to me if they want to reduce spending, this would be a place to start (i.e. if you're in a financial hole, you don't keep digging deeper).
All of these people didn't buy their own insurance? If a disaster happens I am responsible for myself and my belongings, no one else! But, I am a 53% er.
Sure you have insurance. But who rebuilds the road to get to your house or the gas and sewer lines?