LoBiondo: Vote due on Sandy emergency funding

Last Updated on Thursday, January 03, 2013 01:51 pm Written by Staff Reports Wednesday, January 02, 2013 07:34 pm

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo Wednesday, Jan. 2 announced that he has helped secure a vote on the House floor of the full $60 billion emergency supplemental funding requested by New Jersey-New York-Connecticut in to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

In announcing the planned vote, he said it comes after working behind the scenes for weeks and criticizing the House Republican leadership for adjourning the 112^th Congress with unfinished business.

“I’m encouraged by Speaker Boehner’s decision to immediately address the Sandy Emergency Supplemental in the opening days of the 113^th Congress. While this critical federal assistance has taken too long to reach the individuals, businesses and communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy, we should not further compound the problem. I’ll continue to work tirelessly to make the case to my colleagues, both those returning and the new members arriving tomorrow, of why New Jersey should not be treated differently in the aftermath of a deadly natural disaster.”

In a meeting with House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, LoBiondo and members of the New Jersey and New York delegations were granted a full House vote this Friday on $9 billion for the National Flood Insurance Program with a subsequent vote of the remaining $51 billion to be considered on Jan. 15. As crafted by LoBiondo and his colleagues, the House package will still strip out the extraneous spending directed to states not affected by the storm. It will then be sent to the Senate for its approval.

LoBiondo, along with New York Representative Peter King, worked closely with the respective governors from their states and House leadership to secure the funding.

“From the moment Sandy reached our shores, Gov. Christie has been unwavering in his efforts to ensure our communities would have the resources and support to rebuild. I’ve worked closely with the Governor and the entire delegation to reach this point and know we are all determined to cross the finish line in the coming days.”