Christie and Cuomo issue joint statement on Sandy aid no vote

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Gov. Chris Christie joined New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo in issuing a joint statement Wednesday characterizing the U.S. House of Representatives’ failure to take up a Sandy relief package as “inexcusable.”

The Republican and Democratic governors issued the joint statement after news broke late Tuesday night that the $60.4 billion would not hit the House floor for a vote after the Senate cleared the way for the package to be sent to the president’s desk.

“It has now been 66 days since Hurricane Sandy hit and 27 days since President Obama put forth a responsible aid proposal that passed with a bipartisan vote in the Senate while the House has failed to even bring it to the floor,” they said in a statement.

“This failure to come to the aid of Americans following a severe and devastating natural disaster is unprecedented. The fact that days continue to go by while people suffer, families are out of their homes, and men and women remain jobless and struggling during these harsh winter months is a dereliction of duty,” it reads. “When American citizens are in need we come to their aid. That tradition was abandoned in the House last night.”

Christie and Cuomo issue joint statement on Sandy aid no vote