Carolyn Maloney: “It has now been 9 weeks since Superstorm Sandy swept across the east coast. Twenty-four U.S. States were in some way…”

“It has now been 9 weeks since Superstorm Sandy swept across the east coast. Twenty-four U.S. States were in some way affected by Sandy. The storm killed at least 131 people in eight States. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. The unprecedented disaster caused billions of dollars in loss and economic disruption. Just 2 weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, this Congress approved more than $62 billion in Federal aid to help the devastated area get back on its feet. After Hurricanes Ike and Gustav hit in 2008, a supplemental appropriations bill passed this Congress overwhelmingly. All of these aid packages were approved by strong bipartisan majorities in both Chambers. The needs were obvious and the speed imperative. We need to pass the Senate supplemental. Nothing has changed. That is what we did for others. That's what we need to do to help this devastated area. ____________________”