Republicans cleared the way for House action Tuesday on Hurricane Sandy disaster aid after the leadership stepped in to pare back scores of amendments that could have been problematic to passage.
More than 90 amendments had been filed as of Friday but just a dozen will be made in order under a resolution reported by the House Rules Committee on Monday night following nearly four hours of testimony.
Indeed the exceptional length of the hearing rivals the abbreviated time now allowed for floor debate. After a series of embarrassing delays, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) appears anxious to put Sandy aid behind him. But in his debut as the new Rules Chairman, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) let everyone talk as if to compensate.
Chief among the amendments is one seeking a 1.63 percent across-the-board cut from all 2013 appropriations — impacting defense as well as domestic programs. As outlined by Rep. Mick Mulvaney, the goal is to fully pay for the first $17 billion tranche of the Sandy aid.this is your tax dollars at work by the republican congress. Americans are in dire need and what does the caring congress do, continue to seek ways to be compensated for aid to American citizens.
i want to know what the other 78 amendments were, don't you i'm sure those who suffer the raft of global warming such as Sandy would like to know whats more important then them. we know guns are mo important then kids and now payback for helping one of the UNITED STATES. anybody want a refund?
