House approves post-Sandy relief bill

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How -- -- now live look at the house floor and at this moment it is just become official.

They just approved 51 billion dollars in aid for victims of -- sandy.

But not before a lot of talk and -- -- on Capitol Hill Mike does not happen easily.

Not at all step -- it was largely carried by democratic votes about 48 or so Republican votes helped carry the measure crossed the finish line.

Bottom line.

Lawmakers heard a lot of passionate pleas from lawmakers from new York New Jersey Connecticut about the struggles that people there have been going through since super -- sandy.

Here's -- sample.

Please remember that when you cast your vote today these are Americans in need.

That are counting on us.

To stand up and do the right thing.

Regardless of whether you from a state that has had disasters or not.

People lost their homes their cars their jobs in some cases their entire neighborhoods.

And they -- should not be different standards.

For different storms.

Or for different regions.

So some comfort for those lawmakers.

And their constituents more importantly who are still cleaning up and rebuilding after.

Super storm -- the final vote moments ago with 241.

2180.

The argument was not about whether there was need our way or whether it was going to happen.

But whether we offset this payment with spending cuts which -- really been that the rights argument for a long time now about all spent.

That's right we're sixteen trillion dollars and counting in debt and so a lawmaker from South Carolina.

Which is prone to getting its hurricane so he understands disaster relief money but he just said with the debt growing every day we have to start paying for some of the stuff.

Here's his pitch.

We don't have enough money saved up to take care of our own people and that's wrong.

It's absolutely wrong it is important to me that this money goes to the folks who -- it very badly.

It's so important to me.

But I think we should pay for it.

Now the argument against him was essentially that they have never forced.

Lawmakers to paid for this kind of disaster relief money by cutting elsewhere before.

And so why should they do -- this first time kept.

There there was a key moment Mike before this vote former representative from New Jersey right.

Yes Rodney freely highs in a Republican from New Jersey.

The initial bill in the house was only -- -- be seventeen billion dollars whereas.

The metropolitan area there -- New York was looking for more like 51 billion dollars.

For a long term rebuilding and so freely highs -- from New Jersey.

Added an amendment that essentially triple -- house bill from seventeen.

Billion dollars to about 51 billion dollars.

It passed and that essentially cleared the way for this whole measure to pass the house -- and anybody who thinks that the fight over spending and debt is over it.

Is is is is mistaken.

Plenty more ahead in the in the coming weeks.

As they deal with the debt ceiling also those automatic cuts to defense and domestic -- -- more battles ahead over spending -- Like a manual on the hill the bill has passed move in the presidents cited in the law.

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House approves post-Sandy relief bill

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