Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin says the state's experience in getting federal assistance in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene makes him sympathetic to efforts by people in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut to get help after Superstorm Sandy.
Shumlin said on Friday that getting federal help to recover after the August 2011 storm was vital to the state's ongoing recovery, but "getting federal help is a long bureaucratic process."
Vermont is continuing to rebuild after Irene, which caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.
Shumlin said he agrees with New Jersey's Chris Christie, who criticized the last Congress for not passing Sandy aid before adjourning.
On Friday, the new U.S. House passed a bill to pay for Sandy flood insurance claims.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
