Rokita, Stutzman Oppose Sandy Relief Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives convened yesterday its new session yesterday.  Today, it passed a bill, 354-67, to help fund flood relief claims for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.  After 60 some days, this is the FIRST bill to be passed through Congress to help Sandy victims.

Indiana's Todd Rokita was one of the 67 no votes on the bill announcing today on his Twitter:

Our $16t fiscal crisis requires we cut spending to pay for emergency expenses. Sandy bill failed to do so, I reluctantly opposed it,
— Todd Rokita (@ToddRokita) January 4, 2013

Rokita is right.  We do have a fiscal crisis.  We have to cut spending.  This bill, however, is not the place to start cutting.  The victims of Hurricane Sandy deserve relief NOW.  They have been waiting long enough.  When Chris Christie went off the other day on Congress, it was guys like Rokita that he was certainly thinking of in his comments.

Rep, "Reluctantly" Rokita

While Rokita opposes bills like this one, he has no problem using taxpayer funds to advertise his Congress on Your Corner events on WIBC and in other media.  That's taxpayer money going into Emmis' coffers, and, while Jeff Smulyan is a Democrat, it would be great if that's the kind of spending that perhaps Rokita would be talking about cutting.

I wonder if Rep. Rokita would do the same thing if a major disaster were to hit in Indiana's 4th District.  If his own constituents were standing by and waiting now over two months for Congress to act.  Hopefully, he might have a different attitude.

It seems that we shouldn't be trying to balance the budget on the backs of the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  Seems to me that we perhaps should be cutting an unnecessary billion dollar weapons program or something rather than voting to oppose aid for people that need it.  Thankfully, enough members of the House voted to pass the bill.  Incidentally, Marlin Stutzman joined Rokita in opposition to the bill.  All 67 no votes were Republicans.  161 Republicans joined 193 Democrats to pass the measure.  Other than Rokita and Stutzman, the rest of Indiana's delegation voted to pass the resolution.  Michele Bachmann even voted yes.

Having worked so hard, the House has now convened until December 14.  I guess those two days were doozies!