Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are pushing their colleagues in Congress to pass legislation to fund previously authorized programs designed to protect the region from the kind of flooding seen during Hurricane Sandy.

The senators met with officials from the Army Corps of Engineers in Washington Wednesday to discuss a plan modeled after the one implemented when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

"It is undeniably clear that New York City and Long Island have the same critical need for storm protection that the Gulf Coast had," Schumer said. "This is the new normal."

"I've heard over and over and over again from New Yorkers, 'We're not only going to rebuild but we're going to rebuild better,'" Gillibrand said. "And that is exactly what we will do. Senator Schumer and I, the whole New York delegation, we will help get the resources so that New Yorkers can do that."

The two hope Congress will act on the measure during its "lame duck" session, which is currently underway.

Schumer said more than half the Senate has already voiced support.