NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — January 16, 2013 — This year's version of the Superstorm Sandy disaster relief bill is a disaster for the fishing industry, at least in the House version.
The Rules Committee reported out the relief bill Monday without including any of the three Massachusetts-sponsored amendments that would have provided $116 million to $160 million for the fishing industry.
Rules Committee spokeswoman Torrie Miller told The Standard-Times in an email: "The Rules Committee gave the Democrats an opportunity to unify around one approach to deal with the fisheries issue but they failed to do so. As a result, the Republicans put forth a solution in the form of the Runyan amendment."
The amendment by U.S. Rep. John Runyan, R-N.J., directs disaster relief to the fishery damaged by Sandy, which is mainly in New Jersey. It does not address the larger fisheries disaster issue.
Rep. Bill Keating, D-Mass., whose district includes New Bedford, was frustrated and angry about the outcome.
"This is Americans helping Americans," he said. "This is a slap in the face."
Fisheries in the Northeast, Alaska and Mississippi last year became eligible for relief when the commerce secretary made an official declaration because of dwindling stocks.
The rejection of the amendments brought a swift response from the three congressmen who filed them: Democratic Reps. Edward Markey, John Tierney and Keating.
"Republicans in Congress have cut this lifeline to fishing communities in Massachusetts and around the country," the lawmakers said in a statement. "We gave House Republicans three different options to help our fishermen and they said no, no, no. House Republican leaders should be ashamed of themselves. We will continue to fight for these small business owners and their families."
Last year's Senate version of the bill, which wasn't taken up in the House, will be refiled and sent to reconciliation with the House bill, Keating said.
Keating told The Standard-Times he was especially disappointed because his amendment took pains to be revenue-neutral, being offset by a cut in weather satellite funding.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard Times