Appropriations

"There's lots of spending in these bills that has nothing to do with the disaster," said Rep. Tom McClintock.

Christie said New Jersey residents had waited "seven times longer" than victims of Hurricane Katrina for a recovery package.

House Republicans have set a Friday deadline for members to submit amendments to a Sandy relief package that includes $17 billion in emergency appropriations, and an amendment adding another $33.7 billion in relief for longer-term recovery efforts in the northeast.

The deadline sets up the potential for members to propose language to increase or reduce the size of the package, or perhaps offset parts of it with spending cuts. But as of Tuesday, no amendments to the package were listed on the Rules Committee website.

The next bill to pay for Hurricane Sandy relief will consist of a $17 billion package and $33 billion amendment, Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said Friday.

Leaders plan to hold the vote on Jan. 15. 

"It's the same bill and the same amendment with the flood insurance money taken out," Rogers said. 

It is similar to one prepared for a vote at the end of the 112th Congress. That measure was $27 billion with a $33 billion amendment. On Friday, the House passed a $9.7 billion bill with funds for the National Flood Insurance Program, funding that was included in the $27 billion package.

Northeastern lawmakers, led by Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) and Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) are confident they can get enough Republicans to join a nearly unanimous Democratic caucus to enact the full amount of Sandy aid.

Sixty-seven Republicans voted against the bill allowing the National Flood Insurance Program to take on new debt.

But the conservative group's move to "key-vote" the $9.7 billion measure failed to prevent passage of the storm-relief legislation. 

The Republican New Jersey governor ripped lawmakers for showing "callous indifference" to the hurricane victims.

The House will vote to provide $9 billion in funding Friday and $51 billion in funding on Jan. 15.

Adjournment makes it unlikely the House will consider Hurricane Sandy relief in this Congress. 

The House adjourned Wednesday shortly after 12:30 p.m., making it a virtual certainty that the House will not approve a Hurricane Sandy relief bill until the 113th Congress convenes.

Adjournment came after several Republicans and Democrats spent the morning calling for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to consider a Hurricane Sandy relief bill.