Some New Jersey lawmakers are getting into a battle of words with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz over hurricane relief aid.

While Texas legislators call for swift aid to victims of Hurricane Harvey, New Jersey lawmakers say that the swift action would have been helpful during Superstorm Sandy.

Gov. Chris Christie and Rep. Frank Pallone says that the Texas delegation turned their back on Sandy victims in 2012 when refusing to vote for aid. Gov. Christie even went as far as calling Sen. Cruz a hypocrite.

But Cruz defended those claims.

“[The Sandy relief package] became a $50 billion bill that was filled with unrelated pork. Two-thirds of that bill had nothing to do with Sandy and what I said then, and still believe now, is it’s not right for politicians to exploit a disaster when people are hurting, to pay for their own political wish list,” Cruz said.

Rep. Pallone says that Cruz’s claims are not true and that the payouts in the recovery bill were Sandy-related.

Some House Republicans criticized what they called "non-Sandy expenses" going to the Kennedy Space Center and the Smithsonian roof. But the problems in those buildings were caused by the superstorm.

“I would go on the floor because I was trying to get the votes and I would ask them why they weren't going to vote for the bill and they would say ‘Oh because it’s going to New York and New Jersey and you guys are a bunch of crooks and you're going to waste the money,’” Pallone said.

New Jersey waited six weeks for its aid authorization, which Gov. Christie says was the longest wait for any disaster.

Pallone says that he will support a speedy vote to get aid to suffering Texan families. The governor says that he also supports quick action in Texas.

“Even though I’m sure there’s going to be some temptation by New Jersey House members…to drag their feet a little bit based upon what these folks in Texas did to us during Sandy, I’m going to be urging all our members to rise above that and provide the aid as quickly as possible,” Christie said.

Pallone says that New Jersey could have used more money in the $50 billion Sandy bill to go toward shore protection and flood control.

How to Help Hurricane Harvey Victims
American Red Cross Website
Call: 1-800-RED CROSS
Or Text Harvey to the number 90999
Save the Children
The Salvation Army
North American Mission Board
Heart to Heart International