Christie: House Inaction On Sandy Aid Inexcusable
January 2, 2013 2:35 PM
NEWARK, N.J. (CBS/AP) New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is fuming over the Houses decision to not hold a vote on Superstorm Sandy relief package.
Speaking at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, the Republican governor said the only group to blame for decision is the Houses GOP majority and Speaker John Boehner.
Christie said he tried calling Speaker John Boehner four times Tuesday night, but Christie said Boehner didnt take his call.
Christie says the storm aid measure is not something you play politics with when people are suffering. Christie said our people were played last night as a pawn. And thats why people hate Washington D.C.
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The Senate approved a $60.4 billion measure Friday to help with recovery from the storm that devastated parts of New York, New Jersey and nearby states.
The House Appropriations Committee has drafted a smaller, $27 billion measure, and a vote had been expected before Congress term ends Thursday at noon. An amendment for $33 billion in additional aid, partly to protect against future storms, was also being considered.
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Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., called it a cruel knife in the back to New York and New Jersey. He said some Republicans have a double standard when it comes to providing aid to New York and New Jersey compared with other regions of the country suffering disasters. Somehow, he said, money going to New York and New Jersey is seen as corrupt.
He said those same Republicans have no trouble coming to New York and New Jersey to raise millions of dollars. King urged donors from the two states not to give money to Republicans who are ignoring their needs on Sandy.
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New York and New Jersey lawmakers said they believed they had support for both measures.
I am convinced it would have passed, said Rep. Frank LoBiiondo, R-N.J., who represents Atlantic City which was hard hit LoBiondo said New York and New Jersey lawmakers have backed past disaster aid bills for other states.
Now when it comes to us, we have a lot of hemming and hawing, LoBiondo said.
The lawmakers had erupted in anger late Tuesday night after learning the House Republican leadership decided to allow the current term of Congress to end without holding a vote on aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy.
King said Tuesday night he was told by the office of Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia that Boehner had decided to abandon a vote this session.
Cantor, who sets the House schedule, did not immediately comment. New York and New Jersey GOP lawmakers were hoping to meet with Cantor and Boehner on Wednesday.
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