Eastern Long Island and the other regions affected by Superstorm Sandy moved forward on the road to recovery this week with final passage of approximately $50.5 billion in federal funding to rebuild homes and businesses, restore battered shorelines and critical infrastructure, and harden the region's defenses against future storms.
Over 90 days since the storm was too long to wait, but my office has been working with officials at all levels of government since Sandy struck to ensure we are prepared to compete for aid to rebuild our communities. The bipartisan legislation signed into law this week includes funding for both short-term emergency needs and long-term mitigation work to limit the destructive power of future storms including:
$16 billion for Department of Housing and Urban Development community development programs; $11.5 billion for Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund; $10.9 billion for transit systems; and $5.4 billion for the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE).
The ACOE will play a leading role in rebuilding Long Island's damaged coastline. The legislation stipulates that the Army Corps can only perform storm-related work in areas where the agency has already undertaken construction work or studies, such as the 83-mile long seashore included in the Fire Island to Montauk Point Reformulation Study. Ongoing Army Corps projects in Lake Montauk Harbor and Mattituck are also eligible for funding under the terms of the relief package.
FEMA's disaster relief fund will provide individual grant assistance to households that were damaged in the storm as well as finance low-interest loans for small businesses. FEMA will also reimburse state, county, and local government and certain nonprofit groups for 75% of their costs in responding to the storm. Local government and community development agencies will also be able to compete for approximately $16 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, which could fund projects to raise homes in floodplains or purchase frequently-flooded homes and convert them to open space for public recreation.
My job is to bring federal resources to the table to solve the problems identified by local government. With the President's approval, federal agencies are now beginning the process of distributing this critical aid either directly to our communities or via New York State. Please be assured that I will continue fighting for the level of support we deserve in the wake of this devastating storm.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/li-s-bishop-joins-gop-bid-to-repeal-medicare-cost-control-board-1.4515474
http://www.jokeroo.com/videos/cute/adorable-puppy-attack.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bit9YxtTamY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q-6H4xOUrs&bpctr=1359805581
It is time we the taxpayers tell politicians that we know how to spend our hard earned money better than they do. Are you up for the challenge? 1. Require your candidates of any party to support TERM LIMITS. It is time to end career politicians. 2. Require your candidates of any party to support legislation that eliminates the collection of taxes on every day they do not pass a budget. If they can' t agree how to spend it, why should they get it? 3. Require your candidates to build a budget from scratch every year, better yet, build a budget for 3 or 4 years out. And no automatic increases, aka baseline budgeting. Just because they spent 10 million on roads this year does not mean they need 10 million plus 8% next year. 4. Require your candidates to explain how much government we really need and why? Do we really need a full time town board, county legislature,full time state legislature, and why do our federal representatives spend most of their time in DC? Let them come live back in the district. With the people that put them there. I could go on and on.......
Tim Bishop's office announces approval the "Hurricane of 1933 Aid Package" Hopefully by next summer, the Bathing Corporation will get some of the money to help rebuild the steam pipes and the thatched roofs of the wash room. Stay tuned for the ceremony details.
Oh yeah, they care,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/44518/tim-bishop#.URBMW-RERIE