January 9, 2013

RE: Sandy Federal Relief Funding Update

Dear Mayor:

As you know, after failing to take action on Sandy Relief Funding during last session (See our January 2 letter.), leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives were roundly criticized. Consequently, once the new session began, House leadership took quick action on legislation to provide $9.7 billion in supplemental funding for the National Flood Insurance Program. (See our January 4 letter)

At that time, Speaker John Boehner promised a floor vote on the balance of funding on January 15. On that same date, Congressman Hal Rogers of Kentucky, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, introduced H.R. 152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013. This bill is a stripped down version of the $60 billion (which included the Flood Insurance Program funding) that was requested by the President and (with some modifications) approved by the Senate last session. It would appropriate a total of $17 billion.

In response to this, New Jersey Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen has proposed amendments to H.R. 152. In total, those amendments would appropriate $50 billion in relief funding. For a summary of Congressman Frelinghuysen’s proposed changes, visit www.rules.house.gov/Media/file/PDF_113_1/PDF/AMNT-113-HR152-FrelinghuysenSumm.pdf.

Early next week, the House Rules Committee will meet to establish the rules under which the House will debate and vote on the bill and the amendments. We will keep you posted on any developments. If you have any questions, contact Jon Moran at 609-695-3481, ext. 121 or jmoran@njslom.com . 

Very truly yours,

William G. Dressel, Jr.
Executive Director