'We need help,' Cuomo says, lobbying Congress (+video)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appealed to Congress on Monday for billions in aid to assist the state's recovery effort following superstorm Sandy. Estimated damages are between $40 and $50 billion.
Washington
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo lobbied Congress on Monday for billion of dollars to help rebuild from Superstorm Sandy, saying the U.S. House leader wanted a reconstruction bill passed by year's end.
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Cuomo, a Democrat, put the damage from the late October storm at $40 billion to $50 billion for New York alone, with the total likely to rise.
"We need help. These are big numbers, even for New York," he told a news conference while flanked by members of the state's congressional delegation.
After meeting White House aides, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner and other congressional leaders, Cuomo said Boehner wanted a supplemental spending bill on Sandy costs passed by the end of the year.
Congressional aides said there has been no clear consensus on its size. But they said it would likely be far less than the nearly $80 billion New York and New Jersey, the states most heavily hit by Sandy, are seeking combined.
