On Monday, January 28, the Senate passed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act for 2013 (HR 152) by a vote of 62-36. The bill, which was passed by the House on January 15, appropriates roughly $50.5 billion to various agencies for Hurricane Sandy relief and recovery efforts. To address the affected region’s needs, the bill provides funding to the Federal Transit Administration for transportation-related projects, the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and construction projects, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for community development programs. In addition, the bill provides more than $11 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replenish and expand the Disaster Relief Fund. An amendment offered by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) that would have reduced spending across all discretionary appropriations to offset the costs of the bill was rejected by a vote of 35-62. The bill, when combined with a measure (HR 41) passed earlier this month that provided $9.7 billion for the National Flood Insurance Program, is equivalent to the relief package that was requested by the Administration in December. President Obama signed the measure into law Tuesday evening.

Link: HR 152; HR 41