Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

A sign is seen outside a home devastated by fire and the effects of Hurricane Sandy in the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough in New York on Jan. 15.

Justin Lane / EPA

Two neighbors watch as Doreen Lagno's house, which was irreparably damaged by flood waters during Hurricane Sandy, is demolished in the Ocean Breeze neighborhood of Staten Island, New York on Jan. 15.

Justin Lane / EPA

The claw of a demolition vehicle brings down Doreen Lagno's house, which was irreparably damaged by flood waters during Hurricane Sandy, in the Ocean Breeze neighborhood of Staten Island.

Justin Lane / EPA

Peter Gill works with his father James and a friend Mark Faljean on repairs to his home that was damaged by flood waters in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in Staten Island, New York.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Workers with the parks department clean sand from a playground damaged during Hurricane Sandy in the Rockaways on Jan. 15.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Workers walk on a boardwalk damaged during Hurricane Sandy in the Rockaways on Jan. 15, in the Queens borough of New York City.

Slideshow: Recovering after Sandy

Mario Tama / Getty Images

Residents of the Northeast are still picking up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy.

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A $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package is expected to be voted on today in the House. The package, which has come under criticism by some fiscal conservatives, is being heavily pushed by Northeastern lawmakers. The money would be spent on immediate needs to the region including $5.4 billion for New York and New Jersey transit systems and $5.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief aid fund.

-- Getty Images

• With House set to OK Sandy spending, efforts continue to add unrelated funds
  
• More images from Hurricane Sand coverage

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

A destroyed home is viewed along the beach in the Belle Harbor neighborhood in the Rockaways on Jan. 2, in the Queens borough of New York City. Criticism, including by President Barack Obama, has been directed at the Republican House's decision to adjourn without passing a Hurricane Sandy aid bill. According to early estimates, Hurricane Sandy inflicted at least $50 to $60 billion in damage across the Northeast, making it one of the most destructive storms ever.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

The remains of part of the boardwalk lie along the beach in the Rockaways on Jan. 2, in the Queens borough of New York City.

Slideshow: Recovering after Sandy

Mario Tama / Getty Images

Residents of the Northeast are still picking up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy.

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Tracy Connor, NBC News -- House Republicans came under a blistering bipartisan assault Wednesday for punting on Sandy relief, with one GOP congressman saying anyone from New York or New Jersey who donates money to his brethren “should have his head examined.”

The governors of New York and New Jersey accused the GOP-led House of a “dereliction of duty.” Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, called the surprise vote pull-back “disgraceful, indefensible and immoral.”

Continue reading.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

A destroyed home is viewed along the beach in the Belle Harbor neighborhood in the Rockaways on Jan. 2, in the Queens borough of New York City.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Men help to construct a new sea wall along the beach in the Belle Harbor neighborhood in the Rockaways on Jan. 2, in the Queens borough of New York City.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

A man walks on the remains of part of the boardwalk along the beach in the Rockaways on Jan. 2, in the Queens borough of New York City.

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Researchers from the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation stand in front of a deceased beached whale in Breezy Point on Dec. 27.

By Miranda Leitsinger, NBC News:

An emaciated 60-foot finback whale that washed up on a coastal community devastated by Superstorm Sandy has died, marine officials said Thursday.

The whale was found beached on Wednesday in Breezy Point, Queens, where more than 100 homes burned down and more than 2,000 were damaged during the Oct. 29 storm. It was carried out at high tide but washed ashore another time on Thursday, where marine officials said they found it dead, according to media reports. Full Story

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

An emergency worker reaches out to touch a deceased beached whale in Breezy Point, Queens, in New York City on Dec. 27.

See yesterday's PhotoBlog post on Breezy Point whale: Finback whale beached at Breezy Point, N.Y.

Previously on PhotoBlog:

• It takes a whale of a grave to bury ocean giant
• Feeding humpback whales mesmerize onlookers
• 'I'm not sharing my lane with that': Dead humpback whale washes up in seaside pool

Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter

Follow @NBCNewsPictures

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Locally hired contractors work to clean sand, deposited by the storm surge of Superstorm Sandy, out of a pool in the Rockaways section of Queens, New York City on Nov. 27.

Reuters reports, New York state and New Jersey need at least $71.3 billion to recover from the devastation wrought by superstorm Sandy and prevent similar damage from future storms, according to their latest estimates.

• New York to hire 5,000 temp workers for Sandy cleanup
• New York, New Jersey put $71 billion price tag on Sandy
• See more PhotoBlogs from Sandy coverage
• Follow @NBCNewsPictures on Twitter

Slideshow: Recovering after Sandy

Mario Tama / Getty Images

Residents of the Northeast are still picking up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy.

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What in your life is irreplaceable? NBC News' David Friedman asked himself that question again and again as he worked in debris-strewn Breezy Point the last two days. The neighborhood was devastated by a fire that ripped through more than 100 homes the night Hurricane Sandy struck.

All images by David Friedman / NBC News

Items lay among the burned and flooded homes in Breezy Point, N.Y., on Thursday, Nov. 1.

Is it your child's first bike? Your wife's pottery? An engagement ring? After speaking with residents taking stock of their destroyed homes in the borough of Queens, New York City, Friedman kept hearing the same answer -- "Community."

The houses in the "Wedge" sit close together, proximity prompted by the geography of the narrow barrier island. That same closeness that helped the fire have such reach also fostered a closeness in the community that some residents fear they won't be able to replace. Community is something that no amount of government assistance or insurance payouts can deliver.

Many other residents say that a hurricane can't take away what they had. "We're strong. We're going to come back" was a refrain Friedman heard again and again.

More stories about Breezy Point:

• Wind, flames, Our Fathers: The inside story of Breezy Point's terrible night
• 'We're going to get through this': Breezy Point residents search for the past, look to the future

More photos from Hurricane Sandy and the aftermath of the storm

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Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

People survey the damage Tuesday to homes devastated by fire in Breezy Point, Queens.

Keith Bedford / Reuters

A resident looks over the remains Tuesday of burned homes in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens, N.Y.

NEW YORK --  At least 50 homes were destroyed in the New York City borough of Queens early Tuesday as crews continued to battle a six-alarm fire into the daylight.

FDNY officials said the fire at Breezy Point was reported at about 11 p.m. ET on Monday in a Zone A area, which the New York City Office of Emergency Management declared to be the highest risk of flooding from Superstorm Sandy’s storm surge. Full Story

Frank Franklin II / AP

Damage caused by a fire at Breezy Point in Queens, N.Y.

Frank Franklin II/ AP

Damage caused by a fire at Breezy Point in Queens, N.Y. is seen Tuesday morning.

Frank Franklin II/ AP

A rainbow forms over Breezy Point in the New York City borough of Queens in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy on Tuesday morning.

Frank Franklin II / AP

A statue of Mary is left behind after a fire in Breezy Point, Queens, N.Y.

Slideshow: Sandy slams into East Coast

Andrew Burton / Getty Images

Superstorm Sandy made landfall Monday evening on a destructive and deadly path across the Northeast.

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