Oklahoma senator: Tornado aid "totally different" from Sandy aid Sen. James Inhofe, a Republican, voted against federal funding for Hurricane Sandy victims

Sen. James Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, argued that there is no comparison between Hurricane Sandy relief, which he voted against last fall, and aid for his state in the wake of Monday's devastating tornado because the two are "totally different."

Inhofe contended on Tuesday that the Hurricane Sandy relief bill was different because it was filled with pork. “They were getting things, for instance, that was supposed to be in New Jersey," he said on MSNBC. "They had things in the Virgin Islands. They were fixing roads there, they were putting roofs on houses in Washington, D.C. Everybody was getting in and exploiting the tragedy that took place. That won’t happen in Oklahoma.”

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In the past, Inhofe has also voted against additional funding for FEMA, though in 2008 he praised relief from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to Oklahoma counties affected by "severe weather."

Inhofe's senate colleague, Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, also a Republican, said he would push for federal aid to Oklahoma to be offset by cuts elsewhere. Coburn also voted against the relief package for Hurricane Sandy.

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