After a huge backlash from members of both parties, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has scheduled a vote Friday for an aid package to victims of Hurricane Sandy.
“This was one of the most horrible acts of public service that I’ve ever witnessed in my career,” Mayor Ed Johnson of Asbury Park, NJ said on Jansing & Co. Thursday. “Not only was it disrespectful to the people of the Jersey shore or the entire east coast…it actually was one of the greatest lapses of leadership that I think we’ve seen in the United States ever.”
Mayor Johnson’s community was hit hard by Sandy in October. He says the taxpayers are already paying out close to $10 million for repairs.
Tomorrow’s vote will be on $9 billion for the national flood insurance program. A second vote will be held January 15 for the remaining $51 billion in the package.
“I was pretty devastated because I think that they don’t understand what’s going on down there,” Christine Lewis told msnbc’s Chris Jansing. Lewis’ home was left uninhabitable after the storm. She says she has received a check for $91.52 from FEMA and is waiting for more aid so her family can rebuild. “It’s almost as if they’ve forgotten about what happened 2 months ago,” she said.
Sandy was one of the most destructive storms to ever hit the northeast. At least 120 people died with total losses estimated at $50 billion.
Bryan Weakland
Tracy Mitchell