CRISIS/GOP/POLITICS/TEXAS: “Texas Republicans in Congress once stood nearly united against a bill to send billions of dollars in aid to Northeastern states recovering from Hurricane Sandy. Sen. Ted Cruz even ripped the legislation as ‘a Christmas tree’ with billions of dollars in extraneous goodies.
New York and New Jersey Republicans haven’t forgotten the slight. And with Hurricane Harvey wreaking devastation down South — and Congress beginning to contemplate what will likely be a massive aid package — the tough-on-spending Texans could find themselves in an awkward spot…
Christie’s comments came as GOP lawmakers from the region also vented their frustration at how Texas Republicans handled Sandy aid — even as they said they wouldn’t repeat history in return…
Cruz reiterated his complaint on Monday [8-28-17]. The Sandy bill, he said on MSNBC, was ‘filled w/ unrelated pork.’ A spokesman for Sen. Jon Cornyn (R-Texas), who also ultimately voted against the final Sandy relief package, emphasized on Twitter that Cornyn was supportive of the measure until ‘extraneous $ for non-relief items’ was added.
It’s unclear whether Cruz will apply the same standards for federal aid this time. On Monday, Cruz said he appreciated assurances from President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that ‘full federal assistance’ would be ready to help Houston rebuild when the storm fully passes…
It’s unclear how large an aid package will be needed. Rain was still pelting the Houston area late Monday, and the precise extent of the apparently massive damage to the area was uncertain.”
-Kyle Cheney, “Cruz, Texans accused of hypocrisy on Harvey aid,” Politico, Aug. 28, 2017 05:59pm