jack lanceman has lost his coney island home, and his patience. >> well, it's about time that we get some help we really need here. it's really necessary. times are real tough. and i'm not getting any younger. >> reporter: today congress gave the okay after delays and politics slowed down emergency aid. >> they've been suffering! they have suffered long enough. they need to hear from their government. >> reporter: approved today, $9.7 billion for the financially strapped national flood insurance program, already drained by 140,000 flood damage claims. federal emergency management officials say most, 115,000, are still pending. and the money to pay them was expected to run out next week. >> this is not a handout. this is not something we're looking for as a favor. what we're asking for is to be treated the same as victims in all other storms. >> reporter: that first installment passed by a huge margin, in part a reaction to the uproar when house speaker john boehner cancelled the vote for a much bigger, $16 billion package earlier this week. >> we will not rest until the full $60 bill