Obama Signs Sandy Relief Bill

$9.7B headed to pay flood insurance claims
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 6, 2013 12:57 PM CST
Obama Signs Sandy Relief Bill
President Obama waves to the media as he walks with daughter Malia on the first family's return from vacationing in Hawaii, on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013.   (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

It's back to work for President Obama, who returned to Washington from vacation today to sign into law a bill that would throw $9.7 billion at flood insurance claims related to Superstorm Sandy, as well as increase FEMA's borrowing authority. FEMA had said it was running out of money, reports the AP, and the White House claimed that 100,000 flood claims wouldn't be paid without the cash infusion. The money is something of a down payment on Sandy aid; after taking a bunch of heat, John Boehner has set a vote on a larger, $51 billion package for Jan. 15. (More Hurricane Sandy stories.)

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