The Times-Picayune: Senate passes $60.4 billion assistance package for Hurricane Sandy
Bruce Alpert
WASHINGTON - The Senate late Friday approved a $60.4 billion package of emergency assistance, most of which will help Northeast states recover from Hurricane Sandy. The vote was 60-22.
The Senate Friday approved a package that will speed recovery of Long Island, pictured here, and other communities damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
But there's no word on whether the House, which returns to Washington on Sunday, will take up the package before recessing for 2012. If the House doesn't act, the Senate will have to take up the bill again in 2013.
The measure includes provisions that Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., says will help Louisiana.
Among them a $11.5 billion appropriation for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief fund, which Landrieu says will allow the agency to continue rebuilding efforts from hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Isaac and other disasters. Without this funding, Landrieu said, rebuilding efforts would be suspended in March.
The bill also includes more funding for Army Corps of Engineers flood control projects and a provision that enables small businesses applying for Small Business Administration disaster business loads of less than $200,000 to use assets other than their personal primary residences unless that is their only option. Landrieu said that resolves a major problem for businesses seeking loan assistance from damages caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Landrieu, the chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee that handles FEMA and other disaster funding, said the bill will provide the resources states like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut need to rebuild from Sandy, a surprisingly devastating late hurricane season storm.
"We owe it to everyone affected by a disaster to work together to fully fund a recovery," Landrieu said. "Today's legislation provides the robust investments needed for a strong recovery, including critical funds for the Corps of Engineers to advance flood protection projects that will benefit communities in Louisiana affected by Hurricane Isaac."
She said that the bill also contains provisions that reflect "painful lessons" learned from hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
"Today's legislation provides necessary tools to help improve federal response to disasters so that survivors of hurricanes Sandy and Isaac - as well as all disasters - will have a faster and more efficient recovery," Landrieu said.
Among those voting for the bill was Sen. David Vitter, R-La.
