WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House on Friday approved a series of tax breaks for victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria while denying the same benefits to those who suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy.

The bill passed, 264-155, with most Democrats, including those from New Jersey, voting against it.

"New Jersey and other federal disaster areas were thrown aside this week without explanation," said Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., who led an unsuccessful fight to give the same tax breaks to Sandy victims, some of whom have been unable to return to their houses five years after the storm.

The legislation will make it easier for victims to deduct their losses, allow them to tap their retirement funds without paying a penalty and remove caps on charitable contributions.

It also provided a six-month extension for aviation taxes and Federal Aviation Administration operations, which expire Saturday.

Despite the absence of Sandy aid, all five House Republicans from New Jersey voted yes.

"I believe that the victims of Hurricane Sandy should be given the same tax benefits as those suffering in the aftermath of Harvey, Irma and Maria and will continue to make that case," said Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-11th Dist.

"However, in good conscience, Congress is not going to deny millions of our fellow Americans any assistance we can provide immediately while they struggle with desperate, life-threatening emergencies," Frelinghuysen said.

It was the Republicans' refusal to extend the same aid to Sandy victims as those from the most recent hurricanes that led most House Democrats to oppose the legislation.

An earlier effort to speed passage failed when enough Democrats voted no to prevent the required two-thirds majority.

House Republicans who opposed the 2013 Hurricane Sandy aid bill criticized Democratic lawmakers for voting no on this one.

"Earlier this week, as communities continued to be decimated by record-high wind gusts, flooding, and storm surges, regrettably my House Democrat friends opposed this critical bill -- putting politics above the very people they represent," said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas.

Pascrell and Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., have sponsored legislation that automatically would provide such tax breaks to all storm victims, including those hit by Sandy and in any future disasters.

House GOP leaders have refused to bring that measure to the floor.

Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3rd Dist., said he would continue to push for Sandy victims to get those tax benefits.

"It's a matter of basic fairness," he said. "There are thousands of people still out of their homes. They ought to get the same tax break that people are getting down south."

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.