Following a verbal lashing over the $60.4 billion Hurricane Sandy relief legislation that was not voted on this week, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a smaller $9.7 billion Sandy bill to pay flood insurance claims today. There were still dissenters of course, with the final vote 354 to 67. You can see the full list of who was for and against here—among those nay voters was former Vice Presidential candidate and P90x enthusiast Paul Ryan.
The Senate is expected to approve the bill later today. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which provides coverage for property owners in flood-prone areas, needed the additional money now—otherwise, NBC reports that the NFIP funds currently available to pay claims would be exhausted by next week. According to FEMA officials, "about 140,000 Sandy-related flood insurance claims have been filed," and there are about 115,000 pending claims; about $1.7 billion has been paid to people affected by Sandy so far, but many flood victims have only received partial payments.
After the uproar over $60.4 billion aid package voting fiasco this week, Speaker John Boehner said the House would take up the aid in two pieces: the $9.7 billion one passed today, and a $51 billion bill to be voted on by Jan. 15th. Despite today's bill passing, Rep. Frank Pallone was dubious about how things would go with the second Sandy relief vote: "This action by the House Republican leadership is too little and too late...I have no idea what the Senate's going to do...we could be waiting another three weeks."
