NY GOP Reps. King, Reed, Gibson have all taken to the floor to express frustration over Boehner unwillingness to hold #Sandy vote.
— Faiz (@fshakir) January 2, 2013
GOP Rep. Grimm message to Boehner: "It's about human lives and human dignity." #Sandy
— Faiz (@fshakir) January 2, 2013
Boehner gets Grimm to vote in favor of #fiscalcliff then promptly pulls Sandy aid bill. Now that ain't right.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) January 2, 2013
This is why normal people on both sides of the aisle hate Washington. The Hurricane Sandy relief bill that East Coast House Republicans were expecting to get passed tonight has been yanked. It appears that the legislation was victim of fiscal cliff bad blood between GOP House Speaker John Boehner and his erstwhile lieutenant, Eric Cantor.
Boehner aide refers questions about Sandy aid bill to Cantor's office.
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) January 2, 2013
https://twitter.com/viewofadam/status/286334775776665601
In which GOP keeps trying to get out of hole with shovel RT @jbendery: Boehner aide refers questions about Sandy aid bill to Cantor's office
— Mark Follman (@markfollman) January 2, 2013
Details of the reversal via Politico:
House Republicans abruptly pulled the plug Tuesday night on their promise to take up this week an emergency supplemental disaster aid bill for Northeast states damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
The decision is a stunning reversal since just hours before New Jersey lawmakers were preparing for floor debate Wednesday as outlined under a strategy promoted by no less than Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).Indeed the Appropriations Committee had gone so far as to file a $27 billion bill Tuesday together with an amendment to be offered by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) seeking an additional $33 billion to match the Senate passed package of last week.
Absent a change of heart, the upshot now is that the Senate bill will die with this Congress on Thursday at noon.
Rep. Peter King tells CNN that Sandy no vote is "indefensible" for Congress. "It is disgraceful. It even makes it worse being a Republican."
— Dan Merica (@merica) January 2, 2013
King went on to say that Speaker Boehner is "entirely" to blame for
not brining Sandy bill to the floor. Says Cantor was pushing for it.— Dan Merica (@merica) January 2, 2013
Democrats are milking it:
Heading to House floor to discuss GOP leadership's refusal to bring up #Sandy relief vote.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 2, 2013
We cannot leave here doing nothing. That would be a disgrace. #Sandy
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 2, 2013
Betrayal:
Boehner spox re: #Sandy bill: "The Speaker is committed to getting this bill passed this month."
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) January 2, 2013
And from a leadership aide re: #Sandy bill: "Speaker Boehner made the decision not to proceed this Congress."
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) January 2, 2013
Rep Michael Grimm (R-NY) says not voting on #Sandy supplemental is "a personal betrayal"
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) January 2, 2013
King and Hoyer are livid about Boehner/Cantor taking Sandy bill from the floor. King: they had "excuse, but it was wrong." Pissed off.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 2, 2013
The House adjourned to a chorus of boos…from the House itself:
Boos as House gavels out for the day. Can hear @WhipHoyer yelling in background, "Mr. Speaker?"
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) January 2, 2013
Teardrops to fall in 3, 2, 1…
https://twitter.com/Rob_Flaherty/status/286337834552528896