On Monday, January 28, the United States Congress finally got around to passing 'emergency relief' legislation that would help victims of last October's Superstorm Sandy. This bill , a $50.5 billion dollar measure, now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature and will then become law.
The legislation passed through the U.S. Senate by a 62-36 vote.
Nearly two weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed the emergency relief legislation by a 241-180 vote.
Rep. Austin Scott, who is a Tea Party Republican and ran unopposed in 2012 in the 8th Congressional District, voted against helping victims of Superstorm Sandy.
Scott's Eighth Congressional District covers large areas of Central and South Georgia which include cities such as Warner Robins, Valdosta, Macon and Thomasville.
Georgia's two Republican U.S. Senators, Johnny Isakson and soon-to-be retiring Saxby Chambliss voted against providing emergency relief funding to the victims to Superstorm Sandy.
President Obama released a statement about today's actions from the U.S. Senate in regard to 'Senate Vote #4'.
"I commend Congress for giving families and businesses the help they deserve, and I will sign this bill into law as soon as it hits my desk," Obama said in a statement late Monday.
The portion of this funding which amounts to $16 billion will will allocated in the form of Housing and Urban Development Department community development block grants.
Approximately three-quarters of that 16 million--about 12 billion-- will be allocated to Superstorm Sandy victims along with those affected by other federally declared disasters dating back to 2011.
