"House Republicans abruptly pulled the plug Tuesday night on their promise to take up this week an emergency supplemental disaster aid bill for Northeast states damaged by Hurricane Sandy," Politico reports.

"The decision is a stunning reversal since just hours before New Jersey lawmakers were preparing for floor debate Wednesday as outlined under a strategy promoted by no less than Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) ... Absent a change of heart, the upshot now is that the Senate bill will die with this Congress on Thursday at noon. And the whole affair is sure to bring back memories of the famous Daily News headline in 1975 -- Ford to City: Drop Dead."

Most interesting: Democratic and Republican members from states affected by the storm took to the floor late Tuesday after the fiscal cliff vote to protest the decision, urging the leadership to reconsider. When a motion to adjourn for the night was put forth, the nos far outnumbered the ayes, but the presiding member adjourned anyway.