Under pressure, GOP agrees to hold two votes on Sandy relief

[Playinghardball]

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has agreed to hold two votes on Hurricane Sandy aid after coming under withering fire from New York and New Jersey Republicans.

The House will vote to provide $9 billion to shore up the National Flood Insurance Program on Friday and will vote on another $51 billion Sandy spending package on Jan. 15, according to GOP leaders.

"Getting critical aid to the victims of Hurricane Sandy should be the first priority in the new Congress, and that was reaffirmed today with members of the New York and New Jersey delegations," Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said in a joint statement released after the meeting with GOP lawmakers from New York and New Jersey.

"The House will vote Friday to direct needed resources to the National Flood Insurance Program. And on January 15th, the first full legislative day of the 113th Congress, the House will consider the remaining supplemental request for the victims of Hurricane Sandy," the two said.

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/appropriations/275267-boehner-critics-bury-hatchet-as-house-schedules-sandy-votes

[Walk away]

1. They were promised that vote last night too.

I wouldn't count too much on the entire amount.

[Kber]

2. Why not both bills now?

The GOP is making a habit of having to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to do the right thing. You'd think that eventually they'd figure out that when they do that, they don't get any credit for eventually making popular decisions.

This is just a case in point.

[kentuck]

3. Same type of pressure if they did not extend unemployment insurance

They just have to be called on it

[pacalo]

4. All the House Republicans are to blame for sitting on this for two months.

It should have been done immediately, without any red tape. Where was the pressure on Boehner in October-November?!

Theirs is the party of cold-blooded nitwits.

Peter King seems to be anxious to show how much of a fool he is:

But by Wednesday afternoon, many of those same lawmakers were all smiles after leaving a meeting with Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), who promised them votes as soon as Friday on a relief package.

(...)

"What's done is done," King said of Boehner failing to move the bill on Tuesday – a far cry from the tirade he unleashed on Boehner on Tuesday night and again on Wednesday morning. King was one of about half a dozen New Jersey and New York Republicans who emerged together from the meeting with Boehner and Cantor on Wednesday.

Asked specifically about those criticisms, King said, "That was a lifetime ago. I know, it was last night."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/sandy-aid_n_2397922.html?utm_hp_ref=hurricane-sandy-2012

[spanone]

5. a bunch of sweethearts.....this is the most criminal/derelict congress in history