More CDBG Money? - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

More CDBG Money?

More CDBG money could be flowing to the Minot area if a US House version of Hurricane Sandy relief passes the Senate and is signed into law.

North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer says the bill he voted for in

the House includes 16-billion dollars in Community Development Block Grant funds.

The money would be available to communities and individuals impacted by flooding and other disasters in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Rep. Kevin Cramer, -R- ND) "That's important to North Dakotans and especially important to Minot because clearly Minot has a number of needs unmet and they can apply for and are prepared to apply for those funds."

Cramer says he's confident a similar measure will pass in the Senate and then the two chambers will make a deal to finalize the Sandy relief including CDBG money.

He says it'll be key that all disaster victims have a chance to qualify for the funds.

(Rep. Kevin Cramer, -R- ND) "The real challenge is to get the secretary of HUD to write the rules in such a way that the community of Minot can qualify without too much red tape. That's been a challenge in the past and we want to eliminate as many of those challenges as we can."

Cramer was one of a few dozen Republicans to break with party leadership and support the House version of the Sandy relief bill.

He says he understands the desire of his party to find spending cuts to offset the spending, but also knows that disaster victims need the help.