Republican lawmakers say Sandy bill was loaded with pork - New York News | NYC Breaking News

House republicans who opposed quick passage of the Sandy aid bill, primarily House Speaker John Boehner, are getting blasted from both sides of the aisle.

But lawmakers like California's Darrell Issa say they were never going to vote for a bill they say is full of all kinds of pet projects that have nothing to do with those devastated by the super storm.

"The fact is, is the Senate didn't do their job. They sent us budget full of pork, and then left town. And that was just wrong. And I think the speaker has the support of the vast majority of Republicans," say Issa.

Critics of the sixty-billion dollar senate bill, was going to be broken into two separate house votes: a $27 billion primary bill and a $33 billion amendment to that bill - say it was loaded with pork.

They point to $600 million dollars for the EPA to support climate change issues, $348 million for the National Park Service, and $188 million for AMTRAK - among other things.

"I doubt that Darrell Issa would say when California, God forbid has an earthquake or a fire that relief to them is pork, in fact he has not. I'm infuriated, infuriated by comments like that." said Senator Charles Schumer.

Also infuriated, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who says Boehner refused to take his repeated phone calls as it was becoming apparent the Sandy aid package wouldn't go to a vote in the house.

"When you sit around and then you delay and then you give assurances to people that things are going to be done and then they are not, that's not doing your job. Have some guts. Put it up, vote yes or no and let's move on," said Christie.

Boehner spoke to Christie, then he and house majority leader Eric Cantor met with the congressional delegations from both New York and New Jersey and assured them that the Sandy package - in a new form - is their top priority. A package, congressman Peter King says will be pork-free.