Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill: House Passes $9.7 Billion Aid Insurance Bill After Outrage

After over 60 days without relief aid, and outraged criticism from across America, the House of Representatives finally voted to approve $9.7 billion in funds to pay flood insurance claims for those affected by Hurricane Sandy Friday.

Republican officials, and the GOP at large came under fire from such politicians as N.J. Gov. Christ Christie just two days ago for failing to bring a much larger relief bill to vote before the end of the last Congress.

With an overwhelming bipartisan majority, Friday's 354-67 vote was a different story altogether. The bill extends the borrowing authority of the National Flood Insurance Program, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency warned on Tuesday would run out of money soon if Congress didn't act fast. Had the mandatory insurance program lost it funding, payments on more than 115,000 claims from the hurricane would be delayed, according to the NFIP.

The flood insurance measure will next go for a vote in the Senate, where the bill shouldn't have a difficult time passing. The Senate easily approved a $60 billion aid package in late December, which the Republican-controlled House refused to bring up for a vote.

An additional $51 billion in Sandy aid will be voted on Jan. 15, House Speaker John Boehner said. That package will reportedly support a diverse range of benefits for victims of the storm, as well as funds for financially-strained towns struggling to recover.

Superstorm Sandy ravaged the northeast, destroying or damaging more than half a million homes and businesses in New Jersey, and New York, according to official estimates. New York City was also hit particularly hard, counting at least $11.7 billion in damages to its subway and other infrastructure due to the storm.

Gov. Christie was cynical of his own party before Boehner even announced plans for the vote, saying he'll believe it when he sees it happen.

"There is no reason for me at the moment to believe anything they tell me because they've been telling me stuff for weeks and they haven't delivered," Christie said.

"It's why the American people hate Congress. Unlike the people in Congress, we have actual responsibilities," he added.

Christie chided republicans for dragging their feet on voting on the bill, pointing out that hurricane relief had been provided more quickly to others in the past. Victims of Katrina waited 10 days, and those affected by Hurricane Andrew in Florida waited 30, time periods which seem paltry when compared to how long residents of the New Jersey and New York coast have waited on relief: 65 days.

"Last night, the House majority failed most basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state. ... It was disappointing and disgusting to watch... There's only one group to blame ... the House majority, and their Speaker, John Boehner," Christie declared.

Christie also took his party and Washington at large to task for the ruling culture of "hyperpartisanship."

"Americans are tired of the palace intrigue and political partisanship of this Congress ... this used to be something that was not political. Disaster relief was something that you didn't play games with."