WASHINGTON - US lawmakers finally approved emergency disaster aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy on Friday, but only after a delay that sparked East Coast Republican outrage against their own party leadership. Lawmakers voted 354-67 to provide the Federal Emergency Management Agency with $9.7b to pay the flood insurance claims of thousands of victims of the killer storm that devastated coastal communities. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it could pass before the two chambers go into recess, but the sum falls short of what was originally promised and bitter debate is likely to continue. The Senate had approved a comprehensive $60.4b aid package last week, but House Speaker John Boehner refused to bring it to the floor.