House GOP Blows Chance to Help Sandy Vicitims

Back in 2005, then-Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado became the only member of the Colorado delegation, and one of only 11 representatives in the House, to vote against the bill funding assistance for Hurricane Katrina victims. It's a pattern we observed last year as well when House Republicans led by Rep. Eric Cantor demanded cuts to offset emergency funding in the wake of Hurricane Irene. In Colorado, we've got Rep. Doug Lamborn, who eagerly badmouths President Barack Obama's "politicized" disaster declarations...until he needs one himself.

USA Today reports:

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio indicated late Tuesday the 112th Congress would end its term without voting on federal emergency aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

"The speaker is committed to getting this bill passed this month," Boehner's spokesman, Brendan Buck, said in an email...

"I think it's unprecedented for the United States Congress to walk away from a natural disaster," [GOP Rep. Peter] King said, adding that he was not given a reason for the postponement. "This to me is just walking away from responsibility."

King and Republican Rep. Michael Grimm of Staten Island, who represents some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods, joined Democrats at an impromptu news conference to publicly plead for Boehner to reconsider.

Grimm described himself as "somewhat in disbelief and almost ashamed," adding that he's "not proud" of the decision his party has made.

Each time this happens, we marvel at the political cluelessness on display - perhaps a popular move with a small percentage of...you know, heartless people. It's a terrible attitude with which to win over soccer moms. In this case, Speaker John Boehner says he wants the bill to come to a vote, while conservative House members decry it's "pork," thinly concealing what appears to be a temper tantrum over the totally unrelated "fiscal cliff" compromise passed Tuesday night.

So ends the 112th Republican Congress.