These funds are crucial for several homeowners who are still in limbo, unable to make decisions without knowing the concrete amount their insurance companies can cover.
And clearly, it makes a difference to our viewers. In our snap poll a few days ago, we asked what your reaction was to House Republicans postponing the Sandy relief bill: 73% of you said you were outraged. Today, we asked that same question now that the bill has passed and 64% of you were still outraged. New Yorkers still have a long way to go before things are back to normal and they’re looking for lawmakers to walk that distance with them and help bring the rest of the aid to the area.

After a week of public criticisms and private meetings, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a $9.7 billion bill to help pay flood insurance claims to homeowners, renters and businesses damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The Senate passed the bill a short time later, which replenishes the National Flood Insurance Program that was due to run out of money next week.

Meantime, the City's Independent Budget Office released figures today on overtime costs from dealing with the storm. The City spent $154 million on overtime alone, mostly to employees at the Police and Sanitation Departments. Mayor Bloomberg estimates the total cost to New York City is $4.5 billion.

Are you relieved to see $9.7 billion tax dollars allocated for flood victims of Sandy? Does that soften your opinion of how Washington lawmakers have reacted to this storm? What’s your reaction to the overtime costs incurred by city employees?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

At some time, people are going to have to accept the fact that each of us is responsible for ourselves. Those who are dependent on the government to take care of them when in need have to give it up. It is immoral to use the government to steal money via taxation from those who earned it and give it to those who haven't earned it. You have to insure yourself if you want to live in a free, not a fascist/socialist America.

Joe
Port Richmond

Community based nonprofits were also first responders for the elderly in Zone A areas. Their staff worked overtime and should also be reimbursed.

Bobbie
Sheepshead Bay

9.7 billion is a good start, but the whole 60 billion should have been provided months ago, and based on the mayors report even that amount might not be enough to cover the total cost caused by this devastating storm.

Felix
Bay Ridge

What's with the figures? Bloomberg moaning and groaning again about our money. It doesn't ever cost him a penny from his pocket since he spends our money as though it's his own. How about arenas and ball parks and other things that we pick up the tab for.
We the middle class pay more than our fair share of taxes. In the end we are treated less than a second class citizens.

The money we pay in taxes should always be there and not rob Peter to pay Paul. We have no idea where all the money is and how it is spent by any of these politicians.
That's goes for all starting from Albany all the way down to our city.

HOW MUCH DID IT COST US FOR THE NEW YEARS EVE CELEBRATION?
WE CONTINUE TO PAY THE BILLS FOR EVERY AFFAIR AND AFFAIRS AND THE ONLY ONES THAT SEEM TO GET RECOGNITION ARE THE TOURISTS.
SO HOW SHOULD WE FEEL ABOUT THE WAY WE ARE BEING TREATED.

[JUST JERKING OFF OUR CHAIN AGAIN]

Maxxiee
Morris Park

Speaker of the House should be ashamed of himself and he is a disgrace to the title he holds.

His party was disgusted with him only allowing a percentage of the hurricane monies to help those in desperate need.

Did he visit any of the areas that were damaged by the superstorm?

There still are people without a roof over their heads displaced by the storm and there are still those without water, electric and all the other utilities.

I myself, have five family members in this situation.

...And to think he is the 3rd person of the United States in line for the Presidency position.

Leona
Brooklyn

I am happy for the people who need this money. I will not give the senate any credit or any medals here for a decision that should have been made long ago, including the other 51 billion people have to wait for. I have no respect for the senate what so ever.

H
Staten Island

The House is so out of touch with America and the needs of all Americans

New York is the financial heart of the United States and needs to be back on its feet ASAP to benefit all Americans.

Take a look at how many contractors, vendors and suppliers from around the county are here and able to make much needed revenue.

Bruce
Rockaway Beach

Today's vote on the Sandy aid package in the House proves that Republicans in Congress respond to two things: anger and fear. Anger from constituents makes Republicans fear for their jobs. Compassion, love, and empathy obviously have no effect on politicians who value self-interest above all else. But if you react loudly enough to make them fear their own potential unemployment, then that forces them to see other people's interests as important to their own. It would be nice if voters around the nation remember this in 2014.

Chris
Lower East Side

let's face it, the rest of the country hates NY. they believe that NYC sucks up more than its share of resources, when exactly the opposite is true.

And I can never figure out why ordinary working and middle class people vote for Republicans when it's clear that Republicans don't care about them and continue to sabotage legislation that will help regular people. It's so blatant that republicans only care about the wealthy and corporations, yet again and again people vote against their own economic interests by electing them. could some ordinary working class republican please explain this to

me? it's appalling and bizarre.

I don't believe for one minute that all that money approved for sandy disaster relief is going to go to the people who really need it. Look at how the city misappropriates the money for transit and the lottery money for schools.

Joann

As a homeowner what is the point of taking out flood insurance if the National insurance flood insurance co. and Congress dont want to pay for it. They should all be sued and thrown off the cliff. All insurance companies should be paying for what we pay our premiums in agreement for.

To have to wait and suffer at the hands of a bunch of clowns that should all be fired I am thinking of canceling our insurance. And to think I just had my mother take out flood insurance and we dont even live in flood zones.

Paula
Staten Island

What the house GOP forgot is that most of those taxpayer dollars they claim to be so concerned about came from the very same region Sandy hit hardest. They also tried to block funds for 9/11 medical care. Remember?

I have only seen a few residents who were interviewed who said that they would not be rebuilding in the areas that were devistated.

No one wants to be the fall guy, but, someone has to sit with some of the homeowners to discuss why rebuilding in the eye of the storm only means more heartbreak.

If residents see that the insurance companies are not acting in good faith the insurance companies are not going to insure residents who will rebuild in areas deemed to be in the new mapping of flood zones. That is another disasterr waiting to happen.

P.S. Brodsky told the world on the that this super storm was coming but nodody listened to him. Oh yeah the govt knew it and chose not to prepare.

Kathy
Throggs Neck

Bloomberg has no problem, calling out Washington politicians, when it comes to his anti gun views but he has the nerve to call for restraint on criticizing speaker Boehner's lack of action?

Considering Bloomberg wanted to run a marathon as people suffered, and the was the only politician to say nice things to say about CON Ed during the storm, I'm not surprised.

Sheldon
Crown Heights