The vote to avoid the fiscal cliff left a certain House bill still hanging, as House of Representative leaders did not hold a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief funds, a supplemental appropriations bill. And while lawmakers in the Hudson Valley affected by Sandy voted to avoid the fiscal cliff, they expressed frustration and disbelief at not having the chance to vote on the Sandy Aid package. The Senate did pass a $60.4 billion Sandy disaster relief package a few days ago. Matt Dennis is the spokesman for Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey, who represents the 18th Congressional District, which includes parts of Rockland and Westchester Counties, areas hard-hit by Sandy.
Lowey is the incoming Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional task force on recovering from Sandy.
Democratic Congressman Jerrold Nadler spoke this morning on the House floor. He represents the 8th Congressional District - parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
And here’s Republican Congressman Michael Grimm, also from New York City.
Grimm represents the 13th Congressional District, parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island. Both he and Nadler represent areas heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
Lowey’s spokesman Matt Dennis says the timing for the Sandy relief bill was unfortunate, in being tied up with fiscal-cliff negotiations.
Attempts to reach the Republican house majority leadership were unsuccessful.
