Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Kay Hagan today called on the House of Representatives to immediately pass legislation that supports relief efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. Hagan helped pass the bipartisan Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Appropriations Bill in the Senate on December 28th, but the House of Representatives has no plans to vote on the measure.

"It is unimaginable that Congress would not provide much-needed relief in the wake of Hurricane Sandy," Hagan said. "Our state may not have received the very worst of this storm, but areas in northeastern North Carolina are still hurting. I urge the House to take up our bipartisan bill that provides funding to ensure that our communities, families and businesses have the support they need torecover as quickly as possible after Hurricane Sandy."

The bill includes funding to repair damages to North Carolina's inlets, waterways, roads and bridges, and to provide disaster assistance loans to small businesses. The Senate passed similar legislation after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and after Hurricane Irene in 2011 to ensure affected states have the funding needed to recover.

If the House does not pass the bipartisanSenate bill today, the final day of the 112th Congress, then the entire legislative process will need to start over in the next Congress.

Highlights for North Carolina:

· The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identified $30 million in damages to North Carolina caused by Hurricane Sandy and thesubsequent Nor'easter. The projects to repair these damages would be eligible to receive funding through the Army Corps under the Senate bill.

· North Carolina roads and bridges sustained $8 million in damages from Hurricane Sandy. The state has received a $4 million reimbursement from the Emergency Relief Fund. The Senate bill provide additional funding for the Emergency Relief Fund to ensure states like North Carolina can continue to be compensated for repairs.

· The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a disaster declaration in North Carolina forDare, Currituck, Hyde and Tyrell Counties. The Hurricane Sandy Supplementalbill includes an additional $500 million in disaster relief loans through the SBA. These loans can go to homeowners, businesses and non-profits in states affected.

Last month, Hagan joined her colleagues on the Senate Small Business Committee in outlining ways the SBA could improve its disaster programs to assist small businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy. For more information, please click here.