Long Island members ask House leaders to make Sandy relief top priority

By Pete Kasperowicz - 10/31/12 07:55 AM ET

A bipartisan group of members from Long Island called on House leaders to make relief from Hurricane Sandy the top order of business when Congress returns in mid-November.

"As the winter months approach, Congress must act expeditiously to advance emergency disaster assistance to states and municipalities affected by Hurricane Sandy to ensure adequate resources are available to rebuild and repair our communities following the storm," they wrote in their Tuesday letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). "This will undoubtedly be a tremendous undertaking given the hurricane's expansive imprint along the Eastern Seaboard.

"In fact, the overwhelming need to act quickly to prevent further human suffering, to restore our districts and so many affected communities and families along the East Coast makes it imperative that hurricane relief and recovery should be the first order of business once Congress reconvenes."

The letter was signed by Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.), Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), Pete King (R-N.Y.) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.).

These members did not make any specific demands for federal aid, and their letter came on the same day that Democrats said they believe the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has enough funds to cover the initial costs of Sandy.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he was told by the agency that there is "no shortage of dollars" at FEMA, which has $1 billion from fiscal 2012, and was just funded at $7.1 billion for fiscal 2013.

But the Long Island members said the devastation from Sandy in New York is extensive, and indicated to Boehner and Pelosi that further requests for money will be made.

"While many communities continue to feel the effects of the storm, it is clear that damages to private property and public infrastructure across the region far exceed local governments' ability to meet the needs of those affected," they wrote. "In our Long Island congressional districts, entire neighborhoods are flooded, the coastline is severely eroded, many roadways and bridges are in in peril and hundreds of our constituents cannot return to their homes."

The members asked not only that FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have enough money, but also that the Small Business Administration and the Department of Agriculture are in a position to help small businesses affected by the storm.