“Over the last few weeks, we have worked closely with the Obama Administration, particularly with the President’s point person for the disaster, HUD Secretary Donovan, and we’ve had an open and productive dialogue. While the total funding request released by the White House today is not everything requested, we have always been realistic about the fiscal constraints facing the Federal government.  Now it’s up to Congress to come together and work in a bi-partisan fashion, and I know that our Congressional delegation will work extremely hard to deliver the maximum possible aid, without any spending offsets.  We need a full recovery package to be voted on in this session of Congress.  Any delay will impede our recovery. The conversations we have had with leaders from both sides of aisle on Capitol Hill have been positive, as they recognize the extraordinary needs and the importance of quickly helping the communities most impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Governor Cuomo has been a forceful advocate and as the appropriations process moves forward, we will continue to work in close concert with the Governor and his team to make the case for Federal aid to New York.”