Democrats supported emergency relief worth $50.7bn in large numbers, but there was substantial Republican backing too
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved $50.7bn in emergency relief for Hurricane Sandy victims on Tuesday night, ending an episode that exposed party divisions more than 10 weeks after the storm brutalised parts of the heavily populated north-east.
The vote was 241-180, and officials said the Senate was likely to accept the measure early next week and send it to Barack Obama for his signature. Democrats supported the aid in large numbers, but there was substantial Republican backing, too, in the Republican-controlled House.
"We are not crying wolf here," said Republican representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, one of a group of north-eastern lawmakers from both parties who sought House passage of legislation roughly in line with what the Obama administration and governors of the affected states have sought.
Sandy roared through several states in late October and has been blamed for 140 deaths and billions of dollars in residential and business property damage, much of it in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. It led to power outages and interruptions to public transportation that made life miserable for millions, and the clamour for federal relief began almost immediately.
Democrats were more politically pointed as they brushed back southern conservatives who sought either to reduce the measure or offset part of its cost through spending cuts elsewhere in the budget.
"I just plead with my colleagues not to have a double standard," said representative Carolyn Maloney of New York.
One key bipartisan vote came on a successful attempt by Republican representative Rodney Freylinghuysen of New Jersey to add $33.7 bn to an original allotment of $17bn in aid.
Earlier, conservatives failed in an attempt to offset a part of the bill's cost with across-the-board federal budget cuts. The vote was 258-162.
Republican representative Mark Mulvaney, arguing for the reduction, said he wasn't trying to torpedo the aid package, only to pay for it.
Critics said the proposed spending cuts would crimp defence spending as well as domestic programs and said the storm aid should be approved without reductions elsewhere.
The emerging House measure includes about $16bn to repair transit systems in New York and New Jersey and a similar amount for housing and other needs in the affected area. An additional $5.bn would go to the Federal Emergency and Management Agency for disaster relief, and $2bn is ticketed for restoration of highways damaged or destroyed in the storm.
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Guardian