|
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-09) today praised the passage of the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act (H.R. 152) in the House, which was victorious by a vote of 241-180. Rep. Pascrell has been a champion of the bill since President Obama requested the funding from Congress in the wake of the devastating Hurricane Sandy. The storm ravaged New Jersey, causing billions of dollars of damages and forcing thousands of people from their homes, including unprecedented damage from a tidal surge in the towns of Moonachie, Little Ferry and Carlstadt in the Meadowlands.
"After waiting nearly 80 days, I am pleased the victims of Sandy are one step closer to receiving the emergency aid they desperately need. Passage of this bill will ensure that families get the funding they need to rebuild, businesses can take out a loan, and we can study and build long term mitigation projects to protect our state from future disastrous weather events. The Northeast has stepped up to the plate time and time again when other regions needed aid and I'm glad to see the House has finally done the same for us. I applaud Chairman Frelinghuysen for his successful amendment, and my bipartisan delegation colleagues for their hard work. I also commend Governors Christie, Cuomo and Malloy for their leadership and tireless efforts in bringing relief to the residents of their states. Now that this legislation has passed the House, I urge the Senate to act immediately so that the recovery and rebuilding can begin in earnest.”
In further support of the critical aid, Rep. Pascrell this morning led the following “Dear Colleague” letter signed by the New Jersey Democratic delegation to their colleagues urging support for H.R. 152 and the Frelinghuysen Amendment:
January 15, 2012
Dear Democratic Colleague:
Today, the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 152, The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2012, and the Frelinghuysen Amendment to H.R. 152. We strongly urge your support and passage of H.R. 152 and the Frelinghuysen Amendment. While not perfect, together, H.R. 152 and the Frelinghuysen Amendment will ensure that New Jersey, New York and other affected states have the funding they need to rebuild and recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy.
We were all disappointed by the decision of House Leadership to pull the original aid bill from consideration at the end of the 112th Congress. Because of that delay, our constituents in New Jersey, New York and other affected states have now suffered for nearly 80 days since Hurricane Sandy first made landfall near Atlantic City. Towns, businesses, utilities and individuals all deserve the certainty of knowing that when disaster strikes, the federal government will be there to help.
While there are certainly improvements that can be made to this legislation, but we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. In the past we have helped our neighbors that were hit by natural disasters without hesitation and without delay. We supported the victims of Hurricanes’ Katrina, Ike, and Gustav and countless other natural disasters as we should have. Now is the time to act and support our constituents in New Jersey, New York and other affected states that have lost so much.
Governors’ Christie and Cuomo estimate the damage to New Jersey and New York to be over $60 billion. Together, H.R. 152 and the Frelinghuysen amendment are a strong first step toward meeting this threshold in a targeted, responsible manner. We hope to have your support on today’s vote.
Sincerely,
Bill Pascrell, Jr. Frank Pallone, Jr.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Robert E. Andrews Rush D. Holt
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Albio Sires Donald Payne, Jr.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
###
|
