The second part of the Sandy relief legislation--a $50 billion package to help New York, New Jersey, and other northeast states rebuild and prepare for future storms--passed the House of Representatives last night despite overwhelming Republican opposition--including "no" votes from every single member of North Carolina's Republican delegation.
Representatives Foxx, Holding, Hudson, and Meadows, who had already voted against borrowing to allow the National Flood Insurance Program to pay its obligations to victims, were joined in the latest vote by Representatives Coble, Ellmers, Jones, McHenry, and Pittenger.
All four NC Democratic representatives voted for the measures.
A closely-related measure that combined both parts of the House bill passed the Senate late last term with a bipartisan 62-32 vote. Democratic Senator Hagan voted for that measure; Republican Senator Burr voted against.
I can't predict the weather. But I can predict that the "attaboys" the Republican delegation are getting from its Tea Party supporters will be replaced with cries for federal relief when a big storm eventually hits Hurricane-prone NC.
