Superstorm Sandy

Repairs to the New York City hospital are expected to allow a full reopening in early February. Engineers have been working around the clock to make everything is ready. Bellevue hasn't been able to care for trauma patients since the storm. That has put a strain on neighboring hospitals.

Federal disaster aid could mean billions more for rebuilding eroded beaches. Supporters say doing so offers crucial protection against storms. But longtime critics charge it's counterproductive and a waste of taxpayer dollars, especially in an era of sea-level rise.

On the deck of a 27-foot boat off the shore of Long Island, researchers are using sonar to study the sand and sediment that washed away from the system of protective barrier islands and beaches by Hurricane Sandy.

Earlier this month, the House's failure to vote on the measure unleashed bipartisan furor. The measure passed easily in the Senate with a vote of 62-36.

The vote was 241-80; the measure now goes to the Senate, which is expected to take it up next week. Tuesday's vote came after outrage earlier this month over a delayed vote on aid for those affected by last fall's superstorm.

New York's nonprofit bookstore Printed Matter in west Chelsea lost close to 10,000 books and sustained more than $200,000 in damages during Hurricane Sandy. The day after the storm, volunteers were at the store to help - even though some didn't have power themselves.

From Superstorm Sandy to gun laws to the fiscal cliff, national issues are on the minds and the lips of the nation's governors setting their state agendas this week. Some want Congress and President Obama to act; others are urging state legislators to do what Congress hasn't.

It happens after every disaster. People want to help, but their donations often turn out to be a burden. Newtown, Conn., for example, was so inundated with gifts, it asked people to stop sending them. Instead, disaster aid groups are trying to figure out a better way to channel good intentions.

The House passed the first part of a relief bill for victims of Hurricane Sandy Friday. Absent from the legislation was funding for watershed restoration…

A second, larger chunk of aid for those devastated in the late October storm will be voted on later this month. There has been bipartisan outrage this week that the House had not acted sooner.