White House Seeks $60.4 Billion for Sandy Recovery
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Deana Mitchell/ABC
The Obama administration has formally asked Congress for $60.4 billion in additional federal emergency aid for states hit by superstorm Sandy.
That is above the $50 billion figure floated earlier in the week as a possible request, but still below the amount sought by many states still reeling from the devastation.
“Today’s agreement … will enable our states to recover, repair, and rebuild better and stronger than before,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said in a joint statement. Both men visited Washington this week to ask for the funds.
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The request was made today in a letter from OMB director Jeff Zeints to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. The money, if approved, will be directed toward rebuilding homes and public infrastructure in affected communities.
“Our nation has an obligation to assist those who suffered losses and who lack adequate resources to rebuild their lives. At the same time, we are committed to ensuring Federal resources are used responsibly and that the recovery effort is a shared undertaking,” wrote Zients.
“Private insurers must fulfill their commitment to the region; public assistance must be targeted for public benefit; resources must be directed to those in greatest need; and impacted States and localities must contribute, as appropriate, to the costs of rebuilding,” he said.
Zients wrote that the administration believes Sandy is on track to be the second or third most costly natural disaster in U.S. history, behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Read the full letter and breakdown of funds by federal agency.
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I would like to know where this money is coming from seeing how the USA is broke and can’t afford to even feed the poor before this horrible storm.
I guess we will get it from China as we have done so many times before.
Posted by: Carol | December 7, 2012, 7:34 pm 7:34 pm
Having directly seen the effects of Andrew, I believe every effort should be made to help the people truly affected by Sandy. However, I’m with Carol on this question: WHERE is exactly is this money supposed to come from? Or is it over the fiscal cliff and we just can’t see if from here?
Posted by: dedanielson | December 7, 2012, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
Yes, where in the world is this money coming from??? And what’s the point ? Obama gave a speech to the hurricane victims and did a photo op and pranced around in his AF1 leather bomber jacket, but when it came to ACTUALLY DOING something to help the people who were suffering, he did NOTHING, and FEMA did NOTHING. Words are cheap. Actions are what counts. People in Long Island, NY had a living nightmare for weeks! And when FEMA was called into NJ, FEMA officials were told to take a vacation because they were not needed. This so-called money only would be wasted because the federal government ALWAYS wastes money, and the useless FEMA drones would do NOTHING, just like the DO NOTHING drone in chief in the WH. In other words, this whole thing is one big farce.
Posted by: Francis | December 7, 2012, 8:25 pm 8:25 pm
seeing how the USA is broke………………we all got a big laugh from that one
Posted by: koch bros | December 7, 2012, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm
the DO NOTHING drone in chief in the WH. In other words
Posted by: Francis | December 7, 2012, 8:25 pm 8:25 pm
In other words, you’re totally biased and you’re incapable of offering balanced judgement.
Posted by: Stu | December 7, 2012, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm
seeing how the USA is broke
I know! I barely have two hedge funds to rub together!
Posted by: Mitt | December 7, 2012, 9:01 pm 9:01 pm
If we take money from all across the US to pay for the damage caused by building too close to the seashore, we’ll be moving money on average from more-safe places to less-safe places. THAT’S A STUPID POLICY.
Posted by: meab | December 7, 2012, 10:28 pm 10:28 pm
In other words, you’re totally biased and you’re incapable of offering balanced judgement.
Posted by: Stu | December 7, 2012, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm
Pot meet kettle.
Posted by: Joe | December 7, 2012, 11:56 pm 11:56 pm
“In other words, you’re totally biased, and you’re incapable of offering balanced judgement.” Nope, I see reality. Obama gives speeches and tries to act real cute to keep his cult of zombies narcotized, but when it comes time for some action, Obama does NOTHING. And doing NOTHING is the story of the federal government. FEMA screwed up during Hurricane Katrina, and now they screwed up again with Sandy. If you want timeliness and efficiency, you will NOT get it with the federal government. Again, where is this money going to come from??? The US already is broke, and spending like a sick alcoholic is going to make things worse.
Posted by: Francis | December 8, 2012, 12:10 am 12:10 am
Obama does NOTHING.
Posted by: Francis | December 8, 2012, 12:10 am 12:10 am
In other words, you’re totally biased and you’re incapable of offering fair comment.
Posted by: Stu | December 8, 2012, 12:55 am 12:55 am
I never criticize President Obama, our Lord and Savior, under any circumstances, even if he contradicts himself in the same sentence. That makes me unbiased and fair. Really. Stop laughing.
Posted by: Stu | December 8, 2012, 1:19 am 1:19 am
Yup! Gotta rebuild those houses that will only be washed out to sea once more in about twenty years. This happens all up and down the East and South Coasts. The government subsidizes the insurance companies so that these coastal homes and businesses can afford to have their precious ocean views and close access to beaches. It now sounds like they want to completely bi-pass the insurance companies and just give uninsured homeowners free money printed from thin air. Yup! Lets all gets us a piece of that Obama pie.
Posted by: Earl | December 8, 2012, 2:23 am 2:23 am
I’d like to know how the Obama administration came up with this figure and I’d like it in detail. It sounds to be entirely too much money a goodly portion of which will likely be spent on unproductive administration fees and expenses.
Posted by: John Locke | December 8, 2012, 2:24 am 2:24 am
Since these types of disasters seem to happen every few years, maybe, just maybe, we can plan ahead and put money aside for the inevitable instead of thinking that it can be doled out in the form of tax handouts and pork.
Posted by: Gobbler | December 8, 2012, 3:04 am 3:04 am
In less than a week, the figure has gone from $50 billion to $60.4 billion. Bet Obama will jack up the figure again next week. Yes, it’s a huge amount of money that the federal government doesn’t even have because we already are BROKE and in the red with a mind-blowing deficit. If Obama gets this amount of money, plenty of it would be wasted on bureaucratic iidiocy.
Posted by: Francis | December 8, 2012, 3:07 am 3:07 am
Last week the right wingers were whining about the Obama administration and the federal government not doing enough for the people hit by Sandy – now they’re whining that’s the Obama administration is doing too much.
Posted by: Stu | December 8, 2012, 4:02 am 4:02 am
Whine is what the do best / most Stu . As a matter of fact , I don’t really know that they do much else. It’s usually just WAAAAAAAAAH !!! Lmao !! love that Obama ! He makes the conservative dullards pout en masse like little kindergarteners who’ve been put in “time out ” . ; )
Posted by: davem | December 8, 2012, 5:18 am 5:18 am
$60B? The entire negotiations about the “cliff” is over $80B. Obama’s tax increases have virtually no effect on the deficit. Spending is obviously the problem. Just wait until the debt ceiling vote comes around…Obama will get a huge payback for being so intransigent
Posted by: byron | December 8, 2012, 6:53 am 6:53 am
Come on people! This a temporary disaster that deserves a temporary solution:
Increase the gasoline tax in those affected states by 5 cents and the rest of the country by 0.5 cents until the needed funds are raised.
Posted by: NBGerry | December 8, 2012, 8:47 am 8:47 am
john locke wrote:”I’d like to know how the Obama administration came up with this figure and I’d like it in detail.”
.
Just Trust Us! We’ll get all union contractors and every dime of that money will be properly spent.
Posted by: President Empty Chair | December 8, 2012, 10:10 am 10:10 am
President Obama should offer to ground Air Force One and stay in Washington DC to help offset his proposed Sandy Recovery cost! This can start with the family vacation to Hawaii!
Posted by: Common _ Sense | December 9, 2012, 8:49 pm 8:49 pm
“We’ll get all union contractors and every dime of that money will be properly spent.”
Union family wage jobs BAD. Low minimum wage jobs GOOD. Keep repeating the message from the Coke Coal Bros.
Posted by: Stew | December 10, 2012, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm