Sandy aid passes Senate but House action uncertain

WASHINGTON — The Senate approved $60.4 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy on Friday, but it's not clear the House will take up the bill when it reconvenes Sunday.

The Senate vote was 62-32, with 12 Republicans voting for the bill.

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio has not decided whether to consider the bill before the current Congress ends on Jan. 3, Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Boehner, said in an e-mail.

Governors from the three states most affected by the storm — Chris Christie of New Jersey, Andrew Cuomo of New York and Dannel Malloy of Connecticut — issued a joint letter after the Senate vote urging the House to take up the Sandy aid package as part of its agenda.

"Every time there has been a storm or disaster even close to the size and scope of Sandy, regardless of the region of the country, the House has approved billions of dollars in supplemental aid — $290 billion in total since 1989 as part of 35 separate supplemental appropriations bills,'' the letter stated. "This is what America is all about — when one of us is in need, we step up to the plate to lend a helping hand.''

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said Republican lawmakers and business owners from New York and New Jersey have been lobbying the House to act.

Schumer suggested the House put the Senate-passed bill to a vote, even if House Republicans decide to allow floor amendments.

"Let the House members vote their conscience,'' said Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

Three Senate Democrats who supported the legislation — Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Barbara Boxer of California and Mark Warner of Virginia — were absent when Friday's vote took place.

Lautenberg has the flu and was under a physician's order not to participate in the vote unless absolutely necessary.

He and and Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, also of New Jersey, urged swift House action, saying their work is not yet done.

"This is not a partisan matter, nor is it limited to just the Northeast," Menendez said. "Passage of Sandy relief is of great national concern."

The Senate approved minor changes to the bill by voice vote.

One would require the Department of Homeland Security redeploy vehicles rather than purchase new ones to replace those damaged by salt water from the storm surge. Another change would authorize federal money to be spent on increasing security at overseas embassies.

The Senate also agreed to require that Congress and the public be notified about certain grant recipients and to bar Hurricane Sandy aid money from going to "tax cheats, deceased individuals'' or people with "serious delinquent tax debts.'' Both amendments were authored by Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

An amendment to reduce the $336 million in funding for Amtrak was withdrawn because it could not pass, according to Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who sponsored the proposal.

"Amtrak's too strong a lobby,'' McCain said in an interview.

The Senate also rejected proposals that would have substantially reduced the scope of the emergency aid for Sandy victims, including a Republican alternative that would have reduced the overall amount to $23.8 billion by concentrating on immediate costs through the end of March.

The Senate-passed bill includes:

— $9.7 billion in new borrowing authority for the National Flood Insurance Program to pay claims filed by homeowners and businesses.

— $11.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund.

— $10.8 billion for the Transportation Department's Public Transportation Emergency Relief fund for assistance to subway, commuter rail and public bus systems.

— $17 billion for Community Development Block Grants administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with $15 billion designated for disaster relief and restoration and the other $2 billion for mitigation to reduce future risks.

— $5.35 billion for Army Corps of Engineers infrastructure projects including $3.5 billion for mitigation projects to reduce future flooding risks.

— $760 million for the Small Business Administration's disaster loan program.

— $921 million for highway and bridge repairs funded through the Federal Highway Administration.