Sunday, January 6, 2013

What held up the Sandy Relief Bill and why was only 9.7 Billion approved?

Can you say, OINK...OINK? The bill was loaded with Pork:
John Boehner got some unexpected support today over his off-again, on-again approach to the Hurricane Sandy relief bill. Boehner has pledged to allow a vote on both bills, which probably saved his speakership, but not until after getting publicly blasted by fellow Republicans Chris Christie and Peter King. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a radio audience today that the ire was misdirected — and should have been aimed at legislators that exploited a crisis to fund their own hobby horses.
Rep Paul Ryan had made the similar point earlier and criticized the original bill for being packed with:
funding for unrelated items, such as commercial fisheries in American Samoa and roof repair of museums in Washington, D.C.”
So it appears, Speaker Boehner was correct in holding it up. Giving Congress the time to hopefully strip the Bill of all the unrelated crap that the Senate had slipped in.

Only allowing a vote on the $9.7 Billion portion that goes directly to Fema to pay claims on federal flood insurance policies was the correct way to go.

American Majority Action Spokesman Ron Meyer had this to say about the Pork Filled Bill:
“Why was this in the emergency bill for Sandy? It doesn’t make any sense. Only $1 out of every $6 — $9 billion of the $60 billion will be spent in 2013. That means 85 percent doesn't come until 2014 and beyond. That’s not immediate relief. What this bill is fundamentally is a pork bill. It’s disgraceful to load a bill like this that has good motives, that has good intentions that is going to help people, with pork. Why are you putting your own projects in it. It’s disgraceful. It’s typical of Washington.”
So I guess folks like Peter King and serial loud mouth Chris Christie owe Speaker Boehner an appology for jumping the shark when Boehner didn't bring the bill up for a vote last week.

View Charles Krauthammer's take Here:




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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bosman I'm glad you posted this.

Christie is jumping the shark quite often now, so I don't much of him for 2016. It's a shame because he has some good qualities. But his severe lack of judgment is disqualifying.

-Martha

BOSMAN said...

Hi Martha,

I'm not a big fan of Boehner.

But when he's right, he's right.

Anonymous said...

Many of the news articles somehow forgot to mention the pork. (I'm sure it was just a little slip up.) Of course The Oregonian was one.

-Martha

Anonymous said...

Bosman, so a NJ resident was offered $1200 from FEMA for $40,000 in damages to their home? Where is the outrage against Obama? And all Christie can do is shoot his mouth off about Republicans.

-Martha