Printer-friendly version
January 3, 2013 (San Diego)-- Hurricane Sandy slammed into the East Coast 66 days ago, but the House Republican leadership has thus far refused to bring up a measure to provide relief to survivors. Among the staunchest defenders of that decision is San Diego Republican Congressman Darrell Issa. In a Fox News interview, Issa claimed the measure was loaded with pork. But now Issa has drawn scathing criticism from fellow Republican Congressmen Peter King and Michael Grimms of New York, areas hit hard by the storm.
King said, "Darrell Issa is 1,000 percent wrong. There is absolutely no pork in the bill." He noted that less than one percent of the Senate bill formerly included funds for Alaska, which were removed from the House version. King added, “I wish Darrell Issa had learned that and looked into that before he went public and said that my constituents should not get their homes rebuilt, should not have the waste management plants rebuilt, that Governor Christie should not be given the opportunity to rebuild New Jersey and Governor Cuomo in New York."
King added that “Every dollar that Gov. Christie, Gov. Cuomo and Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg requested has been documented; the speaker will tell you that, the majority leader will tell you that. There is no pork and to somehow say that $33 billion is pork, Darrell Issa, with all due respect is 1,000 percent wrong,” Talking Points reports. “The speaker disagrees with him, the majority leader agrees with him and if he wants to take it up with somebody, call Gov. Christie.”
Grimms told CNN that Issa’s views on pork are “just not accurate” and confirmed that there is no pork in the House version of the bill.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, also a Republican, blasted the Speaker and his fellow Republicans in the House. “There is only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these innocent victims,” he said Wednesday. “the House majority and their speaker, John Boehner.”
After days of sharp criticism and negative media publicity, Speaker Boehner held a closed-door session with Congressional members from New Jersey and New York. He announced that he will allow a House vote on the relief bill, but in two phases. Part one, $9 billion in flood assistance, will be voted on Friday. Part I, another $15 billion, will not be voted on until January 15, when the new Congressional session begins.
That decision has caused a rift within the Republican Party. The private sector and individual citizens have done their part, raising more than $300 million for Hurricane Sandy relief, but the situation remains grim for many left homeless.
More than 66 days have passed since Hurricane Sandy slammed into New York and New Jersey killing over 130 people and causing an estimated $82 billion in damage, the New York Times reports, putting it on par with the formerly worst hurricane to strike the U.S., Hurricane Katrina. But the current Congress has delayed a vote on relief six times longer than it took Congress to authorize relief for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Within just 10 days after Hurricane Katrina flooded the Gulf Coast in 2005, Washington agreed on more than $60 billion in aid with more to come later.
By contrast, the $24 billion total now being considered by the Republican House for survivors of Hurricane Sand is paltry by comparison, covering only a fraction of the total costs of the storm.
Republican representatives of New York and New Jersey have accused the House leadership of withholding funds because their states are “blue”, or predominantly controlled by Democrats. If true, that’s a detail that residents may find troubling in California, a blue state that has been the recipient of disaster funds in the fast for earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters.
Rep. King has told CNN he is ashamed of his party for holding up the much-needed relief, calling the GOP actions “disgraceful.”
Recent comments