House Approves Additional Sandy Funding

With a 241-180 vote, the House last week approved legislation to provide $50.5 billion in appropriations to aid recovery from damage by Hurricane Sandy and to help prevent damage from future disasters. Including $9.7 billion that the House passed in December, the House has now approved approximately $60 billion in Sandy-related aid.

During consideration of the latest bill, the House initially passed a $17 billion proposal by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers. Then Democrats joined with several Republicans (mostly from the affected states) to add $33.7 billion to the bill.

Last year the White House requested $60.4 billion in funding for priorities such as the Community Development Block Grant program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response and recovery efforts, the National Flood Insurance Program, repairs to transportation infrastructure in areas such as New York city, and Federal Transit Administration and Army Corps of Engineers programs to reduce the risk of future flooding and damage to transportation systems.

Prior to the end of the last Congress, the Senate approved the full amount requested by the President. The Senate is expected to act on the House bill soon after it returns this week from the recess.

External links:
Statement of House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers
Statement of House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey
Cost Estimate (Congressional Budget Office)