Cong. Chris Smith (NJ-04) took to the House floor on both Jan. 1 and Jan 2. to speak out in favor of immediate federal assistance for Sandy victims. These comments are from his Jan 2. floor statement:

"Mr. Speaker, this two-tiered amendment disaster relief bill we had hoped to bring to the floor to get us to the $60 billion is so desperately needed to assist families, businesses and municipalities devastated by Superstorm Sandy. Our appeal—and it’s a bipartisan appeal—is that there is still time to bring this vital legislation to the floor for a vote and then down to the President for signature.

"Numerous towns in my district in New Jersey, as well as our friends in New York and further north, are still coping with and recovering from the most destructive storm ever in our region—and perhaps the second or third most costly in all of American history. Today, families lack housing, businesses are in shambles, and municipalities have been decimated... ." Click here to read Smith's remarks entered into the Congressional Record.