Under Pressure Boehner Reverses Course on Sandy Aid

By Joseph Straw, Erin Durkin and Corky Siemaszko, New York Daily News

03 January 13

Speaker had faced withering criticism for abruptly tabling the emergency funding hours before it was supposed to pass. Some of the harshest attacks came from fellow Republicans Gov. Chris Christie and Rep. Pete King.

ouse Speaker John Boehner did an about-face Wednesday and promised quick action on $60 billion in Hurricane Sandy aid, after his abrupt decision to table the measure triggered a storm of outrage.

Boehner's reversal ended a day of anger and drama in which top Republicans from New York and New Jersey accused the speaker of betrayal - an extraordinary attack against their party's most powerful figure.

His voice shaking, Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.) took to the House floor to denounce the withdrawal of the legislation as a "cruel knife in the back" to New York and New Jersey.

"Anyone from New York or New Jersey who contributes one penny to Congressional Republicans is out of their minds," King added on CNN.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie could not contain his fury at a news conference in Trenton.

"Shame on you. Shame on Congress," Christie thundered.

"Our people were played last night as a pawn," he said. "And that's why people hate Washington."

Boehner, of Ohio, then backtracked during a closed-door meeting with King, other lawmakers from the storm-ravaged states and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).

Boehner announced that the House would vote Friday on a portion of the relief package, $9 billion to cover flood insurance claims.

And he promised that the rest of the $60 billion in aid would be voted on by Congress on Jan. 15. Approval of both measures is expected.

The money would help homeowners and small businesses to rebuild; finance repairs to the subways and to train lines; restore eroded beaches; and reimburse governments for the cost of police and other essential services.

The money - approved by the Senate last week - was supposed to come up for a House vote on Wednesday, the last full day of business by the outgoing Congress.

But sources told the Daily News that Boehner pulled the package from consideration as retaliation against Cantor for opposing the "fiscal cliff" compromise that the House passed on Tuesday.

Cantor (R-Va.) had taken the lead in shepherding the Sandy legislation through the House. That role reflected, in part, pressure from donors in the financial services industry in New York and want the Sandy aid to start flowing as soon as possible, the sources said.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) made a veiled reference Wednesday to the GOP power struggle, declaring, "We got caught in a crossfire of Beltway leadership squabbles."

But Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said any suggestion that Boehner sought to retaliate against Cantor by tabling the relief package was "absurd."

In a meeting later with The Daily News' editorial board, King said he believed that the Sandy aid package was a done deal on New Year's Day.

Then, just before Boehner was supposed to call for a vote on the Fiscal Cliff fix, conservative Republicans led by his top lieutenant, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), rose up in revolt.

"Cantor said he was opposed to the fiscal cliff bill," said King. "That really boxes John in. The meeting was very acrimonious."

As Boehner struggled to put down the revolt, King said he began hearing rumors that the Sandy aid vote might be shelved.

"I asked John Boehner several times on the House floor," said King. "He said, 'Let's just get the fiscal cliff done.' In an interview with the News Editorial Board, King said he began worrying about Boehner's commitment to the Sandy legislation on Tuesday night.

King began hearing rumors the bill would be held and Boehner "became more distant," King said.

After the House finally voted to pass legislation to avoid the fiscal cliff, "Boehner was gone," said King.

King said he found out from an aide to Cantor that the Sandy bill had been pulled. He said he heard from Christie later and he too was furious with Boehner.

It was then, King said, that he decided to say something on the House floor.

King said he felt he had no choice but to speak out on the House floor.

"I thought we really had to drive it home," he said. "This is life or death. There is too often an anti-New York bias in the Republican party. It was hard to visualize other areas being treated that way. I was really rolling the dice."

King raised his objections in person during the closed door meeting with Boehner later Wednesday.

"I told him, 'You have no idea what it is like for me. I have Al D'Amato in my district. His daughter and son-in-law have been driven out of their homes and his 98-year-old mother is living in a broken-down home right now,'" King said, referring to former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.

"He is threatening to bring busloads from Island Park to demonstrate. Al is ranting like a madman," King said.

"John told me, 'I realize you had to say what you had to say,' and he went ahead and announced what they were going to do . He guaranteed that it would come to the floor for the full 60 billion."

King said Boehner gave him no grief for speaking out.

"He saw me and in a smiling way he said we are friends," he said. "I told him, 'You have no idea what it is like for me. I have Al D'Amato in my district."

D'Amato is a former New York senator and sometime thorn in King's side.

"His daughter and son-in-law have been driven out of their homes and his 98-year-old mother is living in a broken down home right now," King said he told Boehner. "He is threatening to bring busloads from Island Park to demonstrate. Al is ranting like a mad man."

King said Boehner was sympathetic.

"I realize you had to say what you had to say," Boehner said, according to King.

Then Boehner "went ahead and announced what they were going to do," said King.

The Daily News reported earlier that Boehner had yanked the aid bill to get back at Cantor, who was deeply involved in crafting the bill - and who was feeling pressure from campaign contributors in New York's financial services sector to get the Sandy aid moving.

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel denied his boss yanked the bill to get back at Cantor, calling the allegation "absurd."

But two Congressional sources - one Democratic, one Republican, told The News that Boehner's anger at Cantor is what scuttled the Sandy legislation.

Also, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) made a veiled reference to the Republican power struggle, declaring, "We got caught in a crossfire of Beltway leadership squabbles."

The $60 billion package would help homeowners and small businesses to rebuild; finance repairs to the subways and to train lines; restore eroded beaches; and reimburse governments for the cost of police and other essential services.

Boehner's allies had insisted that any delay in approving the aid would be inconsequential, because the Federal Emergency Management Agency had enough cash to last until February.

But Schumer said hurricane victims need help now.

Some 140,000 claims have already been filed and thousands more are in the pipeline - but the federal flood insurance fund will be tapped out next week, Schumer said.

Also, Schumer said, while the maximum FEMA grant is $31,000, many homeowners and businesses in the hurricane zone will need much more to rebuild - and the difference would be provided by the legislation.

"Speaker Boehner should come to Staten Island and tell families trying to rebuild their businesses why they need to wait longer for help," said New York's junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat.

"He should come to the Rockaways and tell families trying to rebuild their homes why they need to wait longer for help. But I doubt he has the dignity nor the guts to do it."

President Obama also urged House Republicans to act now.

"When tragedy strikes, Americans come together to support those in need," he said. "Bring this important request to a vote today, and pass it without delay for our fellow Americans."

It has now been 66 days since superstorm Sandy struck and devastated the New York metro area - the most populous part of the country and the engine that drives much of the U.S. economy.

Congress has passed relief bills after other natural disasters in as few as eight days.

But the request for Sandy aid met resistance from the start.

Republicans in the House quickly raised objections after Christie and two Democrats - Gov. Cuomo, Christie and Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy - asked for $83 billion in aid.

Last month, Obama pared back the request, asking Congress for $60.4 billion.

The Senate passed the package last week, setting the stage for the House battle.

With Clare Trapasso and Jennifer H. Cunningham