NY mayor seeks more disaster aid for Sandy victims

WASHINGTON — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is seeking to inject some urgency into getting tens of billions of dollars in new federal aid flowing to victims of Superstorm Sandy, but Congress seems reluctant to move quickly as it wrestles with the nation’s budget crisis.

Bloomberg met Wednesday with several congressional leaders to press the need for help to those hit hard by the storm, including $42 billion for the state of New York. An uphill fight is expected.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee that oversees disaster relief, struck a skeptical note after meeting with Bloomberg. She said: “It’s going to be a hard sell” given Congress’s tight budget restraints and conservative opposition to more government spending.