House approves $9.7 billion in Sandy aid, with some Republican dissent
Source: Washington Post
By Rosalind S. Helderman, Friday, January 4, 12:36 PM
The House has approved $9.7 billion in new aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy, a face-saving quick move taken three days after House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) earned scathing criticism from New York and New Jersey Republicans for canceling a late-night vote on the funds.
The bill, which will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pay out claims to those who held federal flood insurance, was approved on a 354 to 67 vote. The Senate is expected to adopt it later Friday on a unanimous voice vote.
Boehner seems to have had reason to be concerned about bringing a larger $60 billion spending measure to the floor on Tuesday: All the votes against the smaller bill on Friday came from his own party members.
They were encouraged by the conservative Club for Growth, which argued the additional disaster spending should be offset with cuts to other government programs. The continued GOP opposition could spell trouble for a larger $51 billion Sandy bill that Boehner has promised will come before the House on Jan. 15.
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Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-approves-97b-in-sandy-aid-with-some-republican-dissent/2013/01/04/6a232c1c-5681-11e2-bf3e-76c0a789346f_story.html
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