Velazquez on Sandy Supplemental

Washington, DC – Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement today, calling on the House of Representatives to take up legislation providing relief for areas affected by Hurricane Sandy:

“It is unconscionable that Congress would leave town without addressing the unprecedented damages from Hurricane Sandy.

“Total damages for New York alone are estimated at more than $30 billion and have affected everything from housing to infrastructure to small businesses. Swift action is needed not tomorrow, not next week, but today. New Yorkers have already waited way too long for this help. At the top of the list is making sure people have a place to live. New York’s housing stock suffered nearly $10 billion in damages alone, punctuated by the flooding in Red Hook that left many homes under 5 feet of water. Reconstruction assistance for these residents is absolutely critical because without homes, there are no residents, and without residents, there is no economy.

“Another problem that needs immediate attention is our infrastructure. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates New York City’s transit system, has suffered $5 billion in damages. The South Ferry-Whitehall Street subway station alone will require a $600 million restoration. As MTA chairman Joseph Lhota said, “South Ferry was destroyed. It wasn’t hurt. It wasn’t wrecked. It was destroyed.” These are the exact types of extraordinary disasters that federal disaster must be channeled to – and the time to do it is now.

“Finally, we have to step in and provide assistance to small businesses. Loans have their place, but for many reeling under the weight of Sandy, more debt is just not the answer. New York’s business community has suffered more than $6 billion in damages, much of it to small businesses, which lack the resources to rebuild themselves. We must make it a priority to have the backs of these entrepreneurs – because without them, our communities will not be able to regain their full strength.

“The House should immediately take up legislation that addresses these problems. There is bipartisan support for providing this relief and we cannot afford any further delay.”