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Subscribe to RSSNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie criticizes Congress for delaying relief funds for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
The House GOP came under a blistering bipartisan assault Wednesday for punting on Sandy relief, with Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie complaining he couldn’t even get Speaker John Boehner to return his calls.
Fallout from the surprise vote pullback on a $60 billion aid package mounted by the hour with cries of outrage and calls for revenge.
By late afternoon, it seemed like the onslaught was having an effect. The House scheduled a Friday vote on $9 billion in flood insurance funds, to be followed by a Jan. 15 vote on another $51 billion in assistance.
It was unclear if the larger allocation would pass – or if the belated vote would mollify the New York and New Jersey politicians who unleashed unusually personal attacks against Boehner and other House Republicans.
House to vote on Sandy funding Friday, placating outraged lawmakers
Earlier, New York Rep. Pete King said his Republican colleagues had exposed a bias against the blue states of the Northeast and that anyone from the area who donates money to them “should have his head examined.”
“They can’t count on any vote from me now,” he said on MSNBC.
Christie, who has been touted as a possible White House contender, put the blame for the delay squarely on Boehner and marveled that he called the Ohioan four times before he would take his call.
“Shame on you, Congress,” he said, adding that he has received no explanation for the “disappointing and disgusting” decision.
The $60 billion request for assistance for to victims of Superstorm Sandy has been passed by the Senate, and House supporters were pushing for a Tuesday night vote.
House Speaker John Boehner had quietly decided the House should not pass billions more in spending for Sandy relief, stunning both Democrats and Republicans from the storm-ravaged region. But after being subjected to intense pressure, a vote on some emergency aid will now be held on Friday. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
Instead, King said, Boehner “just walked off” the floor and had an aide break the news that there would be no vote. The House adjourned on Wednesday without considering the measure; lawmakers are back Thursday for an hour before they gavel in the 113th Congress.
While some Republicans have criticized the aid package for funds not directly linked to Sandy, Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said the speaker is “committed to getting this bill passed this month.”
That promise didn’t quiet the fury.
“Totally obscene,” said Tom Jordan, a former firefighter whose house in Rockaway, Queens, was flooded by the storm that killed 120 people and damaged almost 400,000 homes.
“They’re quibbling about $60 billion? That’s nothing as far as the federal budget goes. They should come down here and see what the beach looks like. They want to wait? We need repairs before the next hurricane season.”
Rep. Michael Grimm, a Republican who represents parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn, called the delay “a personal betrayal.” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand dared Boehner to visit Staten Island, then added that she doubts “he has the dignity nor the guts to do it.”
First Read: 'Betrayal': Congress punts on Sandy recovery funding, infuriating local lawmakers
“They’re a bunch of idiots,” Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro, a Conservative, said of House Republicans. “There’s no other logical reason they’d be doing this.”
Those hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy say they are close to the breaking point, their faith in government flagging. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
In a joint statement, Christie and New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, accused the house of a “dereliction of duty.”
“When American citizens are in need we come to their aid,” they said. “That tradition was abandoned in the House last night.”
But it was King who really let his Republican colleagues have it.
“The fact is that the dismissive attitude that was shown last night toward New York, New Jersey and Connecticut typifies, I believe, a strain in the Republican Party,” he said on the House floor.
“I can’t imagine that type of indifference, that cavalier attitude being shown to any other part of the country,” he added.
“We cannot believe this cruel knife in the back was delivered to our region… This is not the United States of America! This should not be the Republican Party. This should not be the Republican leadership.”
Although he said he is not thinking of switching parties, King suggested New Yorkers should hit House Republicans who don’t support the bill where it hurts – in the campaign coffer.
“These people have no problem finding New York when it comes to raising money. They only have a problem when it comes to allocating,” he fumed.
“If this is not delivered and very quickly…anyone from New York or New Jersey who contributes one penny to congressional Republicans after this should have their head examined,” he added on MSNBC.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., blasts Speaker John Boehner and Congress for delaying action on a bill that would provide aid toward Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
Boehner is supposed to meet with Republican members of the New York and New Jersey delegations on Wednesday to reassure them that the relief bill will be passed.
But King expressed skepticism about a quick vote, noting a majority of House Republicans don’t support the bill and Washington will be soon be preoccupied with the inauguration and the State of the Union.
President Obama called on the House to bring the bill to a vote immediately and “pass it without delay for our fellow Americans.”
It’s unclear what impact the vote delay with have. The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency testified this month that it had enough funding to “respond to the immediate needs.”
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California) defended Boehner’s move, blaming the Senate for padding the relief package with non-essential funding.
“The Senate didn’t do their job. They sent us a bunch of pork, and then left town,” he said on “Fox and Friends.”
NBC News' Tom Curry and Frank Thorp contributed to this report.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Residents of the Northeast are still picking up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy.
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Ha! They gave them selves a raise and left Christie out...Thats where the relief went..ROFL
I am so sorry that we can't support our country, and those citizens who have been hurt by these natural disasters.
We seem to come up with money for Afghanistan, for nation building, for Iraq contractors (Cheney's Halibourton,) for Israel's defense, even when they tell the world to kiss our ass, by building more settlements knowing its going to cause WW3.
The very community that was hardest hit, are the most bravest and selfless first responders in the 911 attack. And you refuse to help them out Congress.
Please forgive me for this comment, but we told you so. These Tparty Republicans are not working for the interests of Americans but the International Elite.
Why do we give so much to Afghanistan? Go do some research. It's a pipeline baby. If you knew the truth, you would march right now and arrest all of them.
Those GOP nitwits all they do is thump Bibles. They need to smoke weed and have some have same sex sex, I am certain they are delighted that all those hit by the storm are suffering. In addition I know that none of those hit by Sandy are GOP. Those knuckleheads. Let's pass legislation to diperse the GOP.....Rah Rah ...hey Ralph hand me a joint a Mushroom a condem...never mind a morning after pill since we are both women.
Remember it is the REPUBLICANS who ILLEGALLY invaded IRAQ and then put two wars on the credit card so their Corporate Defense Contractor buddies could get RICHER.
Republicans are just prostitutes to the RICH and NOver DUMquist!
Christie & the rest of the progressive politicians can stuff it. If you want to keep printing money for every disaster that comes along, I'm fine with it, as long as you take the money from somewhere else. It's classic economics. Everyone wants a handout. It doesn't matter if you're from a red state or blue state. The Republicans will only get my vote if they stop the spending. We have to stop printing more money. We can only add so much revenue. I can't stand Christie. He's a bully ... a jerk ... and a cry baby! Please stand for principles for once in your life. I wish more politicians had priniciples we could rely on. I hate wish washy politicans. Our country would be great if Ron Paul was President.
US Treasury has been buying back billions of US currency called QE (quantitaive Easing)
They already have the cash on hand and even worse - we are paying some self storage company to store it. Why not use it?.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
If we are going to smoke weed can't we shoot Heroin also? Come on Man!!!! Let's run some Psilocybe shrroms while all the men make love to men and the women make love to women and then we can have humans making love to animals and we'll all get married as three cats, 4 dogs, 6 men and 7 women in one matrimony. Come lets get that ran through the Biden Obama twosome congress.
Where did this jerk come from.
How sad to be so IGNORANT?
anybody who can't spell in the first place - smokin some grass - only gets dumber
Notice Colorado - with 2 legal members only pot clubs - is doing very well. Pot heads have no problem paying a tax to avoid looking over their shoulder.
Other states will start looking at pot as a source of income knowing that the people want it, and willing to pay taxes for it
The non-pot smoking crowd will benefit the most from this - the pot smokers won't even care
Wake up Patriots, your Government is supposed to protect you not rebuild for you. Hospitals have Insurance policy's and the Government sells flood insurance too. If a tornado hits my house my insurance takes care of it if I'm properly covered. I'm notcomplaining and I have had to bite the bullet and dig into my pocket for some of my repairs and deductibles when the need arises. I don't expect the Government to bail me out and you shouldn't either. Some may not be able to pay for it and some may live in apartments too. Get insured for the next round of trouble. I'm sorry for your trouble, but I don't feel sorry for people not leaving the city when they were forewarned. Suck it up, the Carolina's and Florida do all of the time. Democrats always want a hand out. Christie & King understand that. Tell me this. Did they vote to kick the can further down the road and keep spending over the New Years Holiday?Think about it! You will have the worst next 4 years of your life. I put on my parachute. We are still going over the Cliff. You will be taxed and Obama care is not FREE. There never was a Tax Cut, you got suckered and didn't even get a kiss.
Blast me, I am telling the Hard Truth it must be told.
Does your home owner policy also cover the expense of the road beyond your driveway, or does it stop at the curb? Does your policy include rebuilding bridges? how about basic traffic, police cars - fire engines???????
I did' t think so.......
What good is wanting to rebuild your house, when there is no road to get material there?
What good is rebuilding your house when all your nieghbors left. Think that might have a negative effect on property value?
Must really suck driving a truck with a house worth of lumber on it, reach a canal, and the bridge is washed out, and has been for years - then what?
It is not all about you - but infrastructure to. See the residents of the affected areas pay property taxes. Them destroyed properties are not worth much so they are taxed at a less rate. This means the city, state, county collects LESS revenue.
Less revenue collected, more need from say California tax payers.
I am so glad that somebody actually read the bill they were going to vote on. Funding for the EPA and Amtrak has nothing to do with Sandy relief. I hope all the self-important northeastern legislators get a good dose of reality that unrelated government spending doesn't get a free ride on the back of a "disaster".
Wait until someone reads the abortion they passed last night! I'll bet there's more to the story than "we kicked the 55-gal drum down the road . . . again!"
yeah like AMTRACK has no trains in New York City, Long Island, or New Jersey - that were not destroyed in the storm. Those pictures of the rising sea water flooding the subway - just as fake as the moonwalk pics.
How dare they ask for any assistance. You already completely subsidize AMerica TRACK as it is, now your investment is ruined from 1 storm.
Must have been a republican asking for this pork
Way to go Grover Norquist!!! You pulled your Puppets (Boehners) String one time to many. Now you got everybody miffed at him.
Time to wake up!!! Here we all are on MSN, following their bias bull@!$%# news reports paid for by the democrats or at least given the democrat kool aid to drink again! Blame the GOP if you like but King and Christie will not tell you the whole truth they are protecting their future job or promotion to be a a-hole congressman. Look at the expenditures in the 60 billion in relieve money before you throw stones!
Did MR. Obama lie again? Did he not say he would personally make sure Sandy victims were cared for properly without a waste of money??? Another liar by the narcissistic a-hole! He can step back and blame others again. He just can't blame Bush this time. I know that's got a few liberals upset.
How's that hope and change thing going AGAIN!!! Time to flush all politicians! Where is that Joe the plumber guy? I would vote for him before these monkeys!
Voting isn't red tape. Obama can't force other elected officials to do their jobs and he can't vote a bill with out Congress. If you knew that maybe you would blame the right people.
Shame on Governor Christie for being the two-faced whore that he is!
Any Governor worth a damn makes sure his state budget includes emergency reserves in the order of $50-100 BILLION to cover damages that may always be expected, then only uncertainty is exactly when!
The only difference between Christie and Obama is the origin of their heritage.
Any person who elected to own property or live in a flood plain should get flood insurance. If you elected to spend your welfare fraud, medicare fraud and food stamp fraud dollars on feeding a dozen cats and dogs, paying for the down payment on a home and SUV you couldn't afford, and eating like a hog instead of living a moderate drug free and alcohol free livestyle, instead of paying for flood insurance, you've create your own disaster.
The same goes for Christie. When he became a backstabbing Obama-toadie, he should have realized, what goes around comes around.
Seriously, People don't actually get Medicare dollars and food stamp dollars - idiot - their doctors get paid and they get a card that they are allowed to purchase groceries with, not cigarettes, booze or anything other than food so shame on them for not purchasing flood insurance, I guess. So sick of the selfishness of the GOP and hats off to Christie for being willing to work with the other side, something the GOP and gaggers don't even attempt to do. Come on 2014 - can't wait to see these selfish bastards ousted, and yes, I'm a liberal and yes, I own my own home, cars, work, wife works, take care of my aging mother-in-law, and give to charity as often and as much as I can - it's called having a heart. Have never taken a dollar in welfare or food stamps but still believe that our government should step in and help when things like Sandy happen - guess that makes me a freeloader:)
Very well stated.
Ummm, what about the PORK for the EPA and everythingnotrelated to Sandy? Thank you, senators, for to pad your constituents wallets and letting Boehner take the blame for doing what should have been done in the senate. Really, how much of $60b was "earmarked" for people affected by Sandy? After the union buyoffs, how much would have REALLY gone for Sandy relief? Nothing more than a drop in the bucket!
So the House should put forth your clean straight bill for a vote on nothing but Sandy relief - and they refuse to do that. Senate passed something - can be "fixed", but Republicans after working the last three days seem a little tired.
Told You So - do you suffer from some sort of mental illness. I saw no vulgarities in Stumblin'In's post. the GOP is absolutely falling apart and seems to be on course for complete implosion. What a bunch of children these people are. Can't wait until 2014 & 2016 to see these idiots ousted once and for all. Don't understand while the rest of America has to get up every day and go to work and these idiots run around pontificating and get absolutely nothing done. Both sides are a disgrace, but the GOP in particular needs to take a look at itself and decide which direction as a party they want to go. So much infighting - at least it's entertaining:)
One of the primary reasons they didn't bring it up is because of the pork crap that was added to the bill. That in itself is criminal. Whoever made this attempt should be called out and forced to resign their position. Wait, I almost forgot, they all do it.
Why are we giving 60 billion to them anyway? If you live on the beach and you don't have flood insurance you shouldn't expect a taxpayer bailout. No one is going to buy me a new house if I don't have insurance. They didn't give everyone in New Orleans new homes. The US doesn't have 60 billion, they spent it all on wars and big business handouts. Those yankees need insurance not free government money. It is disgusting the way our government coddles everyone rich, from million dollar beach house owners to super big fatcats in failed businesses who hand out million dollar bonuses of taxpayer money. The US is SOCIALIST, toward the rich, and everyone else be damned.
Fine Coastal areas must ALL be evacuated in the next 3 days - abandon everything run for the hills, drop everything but your bible and guns
This is your own idea
Everybody move to Iowa where we can all join hands and sing kum by ya
Listen, Chris Christy is a REAL Republican, if more Republicans were like this guy, instead of the House Republicans who have been purchased by the 2% of the "special" people, the Government could most efficiently work on issues cheesy up there has mentioned, instead of prioritizing fighting taxes for the 2% (That's right, they are not fighting your taxes, buck up & get rich if you want to buy a congressman) Forget Fox news, either get rich & buy your Republicans, or vote for the honest ones. This Republican led congress should be fired, all of em, Boehner, Cantor, & the Senate minority leader should go too. Replace them with some honest Republicans like Christy who actually work for the majority of the people instead of a few special interests, & maybe our government has a chance of working again. Like it or not, all parties have to compromise to get things done, & this purchased Congress is not doing their jobs. Good for Chris Christy!
Democrats are the richest members of Congress, but Republicans keep this country solvent.
Every liberal wacked-out progressive should go and thank each and every Republican they can find. Preferably on their knees. I realize giving good advice to radical wing nuts is akin to throwing pearls before swine, but at least I tried.
LOL! And if you truly do believe that.....have we got a deal for you!
Your religious connotations tell the whole story! Take your religion and keep it in your church where it belongs.
solvent as in jeopardizing the full faith and credit in a global community - you got to be kidding me.
and they allow you to vote?
"They should come down here and see what the beach looks like. They want to wait? We need repairs before the next hurricane season.”
...because next hurricane season it will all be washed away again, but then we'll demand $160 BILLION from all the other taxpayers smart enough to live on the high ground.
The water is rising! Get used to it!
Can't we get the government to use Bible pages as marijuana cigarette papers. Lets pass that legislation. If some birdbrain GOP cries we'll allow the Cartels from Mexico to vote and stand guard at the polling booths. Hey Ginger hand me some of that Coumbian gold and some of those tattered bible pages.
how sad it is to be you!
If we are to keep bailing out coastal communities every time there is a STORM not even a hurricane we need a serious look at what and where we are building. And we need to set flood insurance rates at what they should be not the current discount rates. For the lucky few that can live on the water its time they paid appropriately!! Or they can build somewhere else so when we drive down a shore road we can actually see the water once in awhile!
Right, because NY is known for Hurricanes.
they should change their NFL icons to "windy" and "Rainy"
Christie you should look in the mirror and say to yourself "Shame on You" oh and etch that in your mirror and make it your mantra!
another disenchanted GOP voter - 2016 is gonna be a cake walk for the Dems -
Ironically - 2016 is a very good year to maintain party control of Congress- due to the Census (terms are 6 yars in congress do the math GOP twits)
Whatever party is in majority power - gets to redraw the lines for voting - now think about what that might mean. All the red states will be in the deep south - stuck in their own little world
Its amazing to me that Boehner gets trashed by everyone for holding up a Bill full of Pork spending, but Harry Reid failed to bring to the floor of the Senate numerous Bills passed by the House and no-one complains. Don't get me wrong, I think the Republicans need to fire Boehner as Speaker and put someone in there with some Balls and the intelligence to counter Obama' and the Dems moves BEFORE they make them.
Rep. Michael Grimm (R) New York, "We need $60 billion now. It will take $27 billion for FEMA and insurance and the rest to rebuild NY." This doesn't sound like Democrat "pork" to me. Republicans in the effected states are asking for $60 billion, not the Democrats or Obama.
Obama did promise help for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, however, he didn't say that it would only be between 12 and 15% with all the other crap attached to the legislation. Good luck with that.
Rep. Michael Grimm (R) New York, "We need $60 billion now. It will take $27 billion for FEMA and insurance and the rest to rebuild NY." This doesn't sound like Democrat "pork" to me. Republicans in the effected states are asking for $60 billion, not the Democrats or Obama.
Boehner should be voted out of Congress or impeached sooner if possible. He and his cohorts are simply not for "we the people." Gov. Christie is a straight shooter and doesn't mince his words like other politicians do. Good for him. Boo for the (R's) and Boehner. P.S. A double boo to the NYT for attempting to undermine the security of a nation by attempting to force our government to divulge information on drone strikes because they don't like the way it is done, and they weren't privy to the information. Too bad. They were finally set straight by the Supreme Court... Let them eat cake!! What kind of subversive element runs that organization anyway? They sure aren't models of patriotism are they now? Both these articles pissed me off! The greedy (R)'s and the liberal NYT who seem to think they are above everything. No wonder our country is in trouble!
I say shame on them all! Why creat a debt so deep, so huge, and still pile it on like something is being taken care of. Where are the statesmen who know what a republic is, who is ready to care for the people and commit to a tax which is simple, instead of so confusing most of the insiders in Washington cannot figure it out? What not a SIMPLE tax structure, why not get the people back to work where the taxes will be caught up, insted of INCREASED taxes which will stiffel job growth? Why not come to TERMS where the INSIDERS of the GOVERNMENT are committed to the people instead of SPECIAL INTREST? Why not have a government when laying out a BUDGET(Which Washington has not had in nearly 4 years), or placing money in a district, that the PORK is kept out, Special Money is not included for some special reason as opposed to what the money was intended? Why is Hollywood on the PORK list, RUM dealers, ALL MILLIONS to the ELITE, who really does not need it, Like Pelocies RAT in San Francisco, $1,000,000, to a lousey rat. It is multied color, WOW!!!
Why can we not have real people with out self intrest involved? Agendas, sending people to prison for the SAME THINGS CONGRESS and Senate do,like INSIDER TRADING, Like Hillery Clinton,and mirrord accounts with her ol buddy RED in Arkansas, and then poor ol Martha Stewart goes to prison for the same practice as the Government. It seems to me, the SERVENTS are in Charge.
LEADERS???? I do not think so, corrupt, immoral, and self centered.....UMMMMMM, Yep!
What's REALLY "disgusting" and "obscene" is the way they enrich themselves even as REAL Americans are suffocating financially. Their Golden Parachutes and pensions and Cadillac healthcare should be cut right along with their NECKS!!