WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate on Monday, Jan. 28, passed the full emergency supplemental funding requested by New Jersey, New York and Connecticut to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. With Senate passage, the final $50 billion bill goes to President Obama for his signature.

U.S. Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo (R-2nd) applauded the final approval by Congress of relief legislation.

“With the Senate’s actions today, the needless delays to provide those devastated by Hurricane Sandy with critical federal assistance to rebuild are over," LoBiondo said. "The unified efforts of the New Jersey and New York delegations, as well as Govs. Christie and Cuomo, ensured our communities will receive what they desperately need and deserve.”

The House passed the Sandy aid package last Tuesday, Jan. 22.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) praised the U.S. Senate’s passage of Sandy relief legislation, while admonishing the U.S. House of Representatives’ leadership for delaying recovery aid to storm-affected areas.

The Senate passed the bill with a vote of 62-36. A total of 60 votes were required for the bill to pass.

Prior to passage, the Senate defeated a Republican amendment that would have cut all federal discretionary programs to pay for the emergency relief.

“Ninety-one days we have been languishing waiting for our government to respond to critical issues, life and death situations of fellow Americans… in which people have not been able to get their lives back on track,” Menendez said in a floor speech before the votes. “Another number, 118 days. That’s all we have left until Memorial Day and the beginning of a critically important season for New Jersey’s economy – a $37 billion tourism industry that cannot get back on its feet unless the federal government says, ‘Here’s how we’re going to help businesses reopen. Here’s how we’re going to help people get back into their homes. That is not only important to the state’s economy but to the national economy. We need to act today. The time has passed.”

Highlights of the legislation include:

• $16 billion for Community Development Block Grants to provide grants to small businesses, helping homeowners rebuild flooded properties at a higher elevation, and providing utility ratepayer relief.

• $5.35 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rebuild New Jersey’s weakened coastal defenses. This will allow Jersey Shore residents and businesses to know they will be better protected from storms than ever before, Menendez said.

• $13 billion to restore transportation systems: The funding will allow NJ Transit to repair extensive damage from the storm and could allow the agency to build a facility on higher ground to prevent future flooding damage. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will also be able to permanently repair the PATH station and harden some electrical equipment to prevent future damage. In addition, N.J. Department of Transportation will be able to elevate some roads that were washed away by the storm.

It also includes policy reforms intended to streamline recovery efforts. They will allow rebuilding to be stronger than what was in place before the storm, provide a third-party dispute resolution process for major projects, and allow for coverage of child care costs related to disaster recovery through FEMA individual assistance.

Information for South Jersey residents affected by Hurricane Sandy can be found on LoBiondo’s website: http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/federal-assistance-support-available-post-hurricane-sandy.

With the federal funding in place, the focus shifts to ensuring that aid is distributed efficiently and responsibly as families, business owners and communities put their lives back together, LoBiondo said.