(Image source: C-SPAN ) BY STEVEN SPARKMAN ANCHOR CANDICE AVILES The first part of a $60 billion aid package for Superstorm Sandy relief was passed by both houses of Congress on Friday. The bill breaks up that $60 billion into two parts. The first part — $9.7 billion to fund FEMA’s flood insurance program. An additional $51 billion is set for a vote on January 15. ( Video via C-SPAN ) “House staffers said that they split up the vote because FEMA was going to run out of money for the flood insurance program next week so that was more urgent.” ( Video via Bloomberg ) House Speaker John Boehner took a beating from both parties over his decision to shelve the vote earlier this week. ( Video via CNN ) But by scheduling the vote for Friday, he seemed to tide the critics over and was able to hold onto his position as Speaker. ( Video via CNN ) There are still some grumblings from New York and New Jersey representatives that the whole process is taking too long. After all, Congress passed Hurricane Katrina relief in 10 days, while it’s been more than two months since Sandy. ( Video via C-SPAN ) But a Fox News reporter says while Boehner is suffering some bad PR now, he might be playing a bit of a long game. “The second bill … is chock full of pork, critics say. … By breaking this bill up, Boehner in effect can give the House time to examine all of the pork that’s in it before he sends it back to the Senate for consideration.” But even trying to remove pork might put the Speaker against his own party. A blogger for Forbes says much of the non-Sandy related spending in the aid bill is designed to help red states and was put in specifically so Senate Republicans would support it. Meaning Boehner is in a little bit of a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t scenario. And ABC reports things aren’t going to get any easier in the coming months. “Congress must address the automatic across-the-board spending cuts that will take effect in two months and the possible default of the government when the country reaches the debt ceiling.” As Boehner himself said, public service was never meant to be an easy living.