37 Congressional Republicans Opposed Sandy Relief After Supporting Disaster Aid For Home States

Someone posted a comment about a broken link for #36 & gave current links.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/01/07/1407641/37-congressional-republicans-opposed-sandy-relief-after-supporting-disaster-aid-for-home-states/#more-1407641

By Josh Israel on Jan 7, 2013

After Republicans from Rep. Peter King (R-NY) to Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) lit into Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) for cancelling a promised end-of-session vote on Hurricane Sandy relief, the House overwhelmingly approved a small portion of the needed funds on Friday. While the first vote provided just $9 billion in funds — compared to the $60 billion total requested — 67 Republicans still voted against even this bare-bones package. The majority of those Representatives had, however, supported emergency aid efforts following disasters in their own states.

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Eighteen of the 67 dissenters are first-term members, sworn in just a day earlier. But of the 49 Representatives with a prior House record who opposed Sandy aid, at least 37 had previously advocated for or touted emergency aid services following other disasters that affected their own constituents.

The “hypocritical” list includes:

1. Rep. Dan Benishek (R-MI): Endorsed emergency crop relief assistance after spring freezes.
2. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): Asked for disaster relief after flooding.
3. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL): Promoted relief funds after a tornado.
4. Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA): applauded FEMA flooding relief.

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35. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX): Blasted the denial of a disaster declaration amid Texas wildfires.
36. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC): Endorsed USDA drought relief.
37. Rep. Robert Woodall (R-GA): Requested a disaster declaration from USDA amid drought.

Former U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY) blasted the opponents, telling the New York Daily News, “They’re a bunch of jackasses. Every one of the 67 who voted no are nothing more than pawns of a philosophy that is not backed up by facts.”