Tagged: Hurricane Sandy

Sen. Rand Paul said he will oppose a measure the U.S. Senate will take up this week for payments to areas of the Northeast affected by Superstorm Sandy.

The Northeast does need help after the storm, but he would like to offset the costs with spending cuts elsewhere in the federal government, he said.

“I would have given them ($)9 billion and I would’ve taken the ($)9 billion from somewhere else," he said. "I would have taken it from foreign aid and said you know what, we don’t have money for Egypt or Pakistan this year because we have to help the Northeast."

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is responding to an attack by state Democratic Party Chair Dan Logsdon, who chastised freshman congressman for voting against federal relief for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Dan Logsdon is ridiculing freshman Republican Congressmen Andy Barr and Thomas Massie for voting against aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Last Friday, Congress approved a $9.7 billion package to help homeowners, renters and businesses pay for flood insurance claims caused by the hurricane. The Republican-controlled House passed the measure with overwhelming bipartisan support in a 354-to-67 vote.

In a telephone interview, Logsdon tells WFPL that Barr and Massie's actions have embarrassed Kentucky, adding natural disasters shouldn't be used to make a point about federal spending.

"It shouldn't be politicized. When our neighbors need help we should give them help. When a natural disaster occurs the rest of us should want to help that affected region," he says.

As Sandy continues to batter most of the northeast, people have jumped to conclusions about what caused--or didn't cause-- the storm.