Hurricane Sandy Relief Proposal

Just 21 percent of the total $60.4B, will be directed to Hurricane Sandy response and recovery. The rest is going to fund unrelated projects such as:

Roughly $28 billion of the request is marked for future disaster-mitigation projects on the East Coast, including $3.2 million for erosion control projects and $15 billion for Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants;

$3 billion for federal departments and agencies to repair or replace federal assets, including $2 million for roof repairs at the Smithsonian;

$200 million for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to be used freely at the discretion of the Secretary;

$6 million to purchase food for food banks, a need that could be better met by local companies and the nonprofit sector.