On Friday, by a vote of 354-67, the House has passed HR 41, which provides additional funding for the National Flood insurance program. The $9.7 billion funding is mostly scheduled to be used for payments to those hit by Superstorm Sandy. Speaker Boehner was criticized for not bring up the Senate-approved bill earlier this week.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the flood insurance program, has warned that it will run out of funds for Superstorm Sandy and other disaster recovery efforts next week if Congress does not act.
According to the Associated Press, two other storm bills, to be taken up on January 15, will add an additional $18 billion for immediate assistance and $33 billion for longer-term projects, bringing the total to $60 billion and matching the amount approved by the Senate last Friday.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), who won a second term at his post yesterday, was harshly criticized by members of both parties representing New York and New Jersey for not introducing the Senate-passed bill on Wednesday at the end of the 112th Congress.
The Senate will have to vote on the bill as well.