The House moved closer to passing a $51 billion bill for Sandy relief aid on Monday night when the Republican-controlled Rules Committee approved a measure that would not allow legislators to cut down on the size of the bill. Some Republicans offered amendments to try to cut some $300 million from the bill, but the House Rules approved just one—cutting $13 million from funding to accelerate the National Weather Service Readiness Project. House Speaker John Boehner is said to be eager to put the debacle behind him after facing criticism for not bringing the $60 billion Sandy aid bill to vote, and instead passing only a $9 billion flood-insurance measure at the start of the year.
