President Barack Obama signaled Monday evening he plans to sign off on tens of billions of dollars in federal disaster aid for states affected by Superstorm Sandy as soon as it hits his desk.

Obama issued a statement shortly after the U.S. Senate gave final approval on a $50.5 billion aid package. The action prompted the president to announce he would sign it “as soon as it hits [his] desk.”

“I am pleased that Congress took bipartisan action to provide funding for the communities in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut and other eastern states devastated by Hurricane Sandy. For the families working to put their lives back together, every day without relief is one day too many.  So while I had hoped Congress would provide this aid sooner, I applaud the lawmakers from both parties who helped shepherd this important package though,” Obama said in the statement.

“My Administration remains committed to supporting our state and local partners and bringing every resource to bear as we help our neighbors rebuild.  And we will continue to work closely with governors and mayors to ensure this money is used appropriately,” he said. “To date, we have already provided over $3 billion in aid to help recovery efforts, including hundreds of millions of dollars that have gone directly to families and businesses impacted by the storm. Brick by brick, block by block, our communities are being made whole again.  And we will not rest until the job is done. Again, I commend Congress for giving families and businesses the help they deserve, and I will sign this bill into law as soon as it hits my desk.”