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Filed Under:Congressional Task Force, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Hurricane Sandy, Sen. Robert Menendez, Superstorm Sandy
A tree stands on a closed beach damaged by flooding from Superstorm Sandy in front of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on March 1, 2013 in Staten Island/ (credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)A tree stands on a closed beach damaged by flooding from Superstorm Sandy in front of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on March 1, 2013 in Staten Island/ (credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork) — A congressional task force has been put to work for the effort to get federal money to people still trying to rebuild after Superstorm Sandy.

As WCBS 880’s Jim Smith reported, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) on Tuesday kicked off the task force aimed at getting shortchanged Sandy victims their money, and reforming the claims process for the National Flood Insurance Program.

Menendez acknowledged the struggles that Sandy victims have faced.

“A failure – plain and simple – and we deserve much, much better,” he said.

Senators from New York and New Jersey, along with the top brass at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, have been studying ways to fix the process.

“To all the types in government, we are more focused on not making a payment,” said FEMA administrator Craig Fugate.

But he said such protections do not extend to those who are underpaid.

FEMA said it plans to start a review process with letters going out next month, promising to use an independent authority to settle disputes.

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