U.S. House Passes $50.6 Billion Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Bill, Senate Vote Next Week

This week the U.S. House of Representatives finally passed a disaster relief package for Hurricane Sandy to the tune of $50.6 billion after months of pressure from everyone, and I mean everyone – from the states, to the Senate, and to President Obama.

Devastation to coastal properties caused by Hurricane Sandy. Photo courtesy of causecast.com.

U.S. House Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers (R-KY), the package’s sole sponsor, said on its passing that, “The funding in this legislation will go toward both immediate and longer-term needs in the wake of the storm, including the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, which provides the most direct source of individual and community assistance throughout the affected region.

“The legislation will also finance critical housing and infrastructure needs, ensure repairs to damaged veterans medical facilities, and fund necessary transit repairs, small business loans, and recovery aid for businesses of all sizes.”

Rogers added that, “Included in the legislation is an amendment – offered by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) – to provide an additional $33 billion for longer-term recovery efforts and infrastructure improvements, and for programs and projects that will help guard against damage and losses in future disasters.”

Here’s a cataloging of some of the provisions of the relief package:

Food Related Programs

• $6 million to be allocated through the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for additional foods and administrative costs to assist families and individuals displaced by Hurricane Sandy.

Public Health and Social Services

• $100 million to be allocated for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund for disaster response and recovery, and other expenses directly related to Hurricane Sandy, with “not less than” $25 million being transferred to the Children and Families Services Program.

Veterans Administration

• $21 million to be allocated for medical services “for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Sandy.”                   
• $6 million to be allocated for medical facilities “for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Sandy.”                               

Community Planning and Development

• $3.85 billion to be allocated to the Community Development Fund for expenses related to disaster relief, long term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, and economic revitalization “in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster… due to Hurricane Sandy.”

Small Business Administration

• $10 million to be allocated “for grants or to cooperative agreements with organizations to provide technical assistance related to disaster recovery, response, and long term resiliency to small businesses that are recovering from Hurricane Sandy.
• $100 million to be allocated under the Disaster Loans Program Account, authorized by the Small Business Act, for direct small business loans for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Sandy.

Major Construction Projects

• $207 million to be allocated for major construction projects for renovations and repairs as a consequence of damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Public Transportation

• $5.4 billion to be allocated to the Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program to be expended on transit systems affected by Hurricane Sandy.
• $32 million to be allocated for Operating Subsidiary Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corp. for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Sandy.
• $14.6 million to be allocated to the Airport and Airways Trust Fund for necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Sandy.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Civil Works Projects

• $742 million to be allocated for Operations and Maintenance to be expended on dredging the federal navigation channels and to repair damage to Corps projects.
• $582 million to be allocated for flood and coastal emergencies, including “support for emergency operations, repairs, and other activities.”

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Investigations

• $20 million to be allocated to “conduct studies of flood and storm damage reduction related to natural disasters.”
• $19.5 million to be allocated “at full federal expense, a comprehensive study to address the flood risks of vulnerable coastal populations in areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy within the boundaries of the North Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

As a precautionary measure to insulate (as much as is possible) against abuse of allocated funds, the legislation says that there will be “established adequate procedures to prevent any duplications of benefits.”

Congressman Rogers said that, “While providing this much-needed assistance, we have ensured that this funding will be spent responsibly and properly, providing carefully targeted funding levels and firm measures for conscientious oversight.”

The legislation says that preventative measures will include maintaining “comprehensive websites regarding all disaster activities assisted with these funds … to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds.”

Pleased with the legislation, the governors of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut – three of the hardest hit states – sent a joint statement to the House, saying they are grateful to Congress for “pulling together in a unified, bipartisan coalition to assist millions” in their states.

The legislation passed in a vote of 241 to 180, with the Associated Press saying the Senate is likely to accept the measure early next week, and send it to Obama, who is expected to sign it.

The House refused to even bring legislation to the floor last month from the Senate for a Hurricane Sandy relief package costing $60.4 billion.

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Update on January 25, 2013 by Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis

On Tuesday, the Senate received H.R. 152, the House of Representatives $50.6 billion disaster relief package for Hurricane Sandy, and the Senate did nothing but read it.

The Senate’s official legislative website recorded their actions in the follow way: “Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.”

Reader comments and input are always welcomed!