There is a lot of finger-pointing in Washington about who is responsible for the mess made of the so-called fiscal-cliff negotiations, but there is no doubt about who failed thousands of residents and businesses devastated by Hurricane Sandy and still waiting for help: Speaker John Boehner.

That’s not just our view. Ask Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Representative Peter King of New York, both dedicated Republican soldiers. Mr. Christie said there was “only one group to blame” for the money being delayed six times longer than relief for Hurricane Katrina: the Republican majority and Mr. Boehner personally.

In a joint statement, Mr. Christie and Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York said: “When American citizens are in need, we come to their aid. That tradition was abandoned in the House last night.” Mr. Christie called the delay in aid “disappointing and disgusting.”

Mr. Boehner had promised to allow the House to vote this week on a $60.4 billion aid package that easily passed the Senate. But he reneged while trying to get out of the way of a final agreement on the fiscal cliff. Now the relief effort will have to begin again with the incoming Congress, and that means more time wasted and possibly less help for those who need it.