With the $50 billion in Superstorm Sandy aid winning its final passage in the U.S. Senate, the three governors from New York, Connecticut and New Jersey said a joint statement this evening they’re grateful the package is finally approved.

In the statement from Andrew Cuomo, Chris Christie and Dannel Malloy, the governors note that it was a “difficult pathy in getting to this moment” but thanked the Senate for speedy passage.

There’s also thanks for the “tenacious efforts” of the states’ Congressional delegations.

But those are the only references in the statement for a saga that dragged on for months following the storm that devastated parts of the New York City metropolitan area.

The dispute over funding to pay for cleanup costs and infrastructure repairs saw Christie and Rep. Peter King of Long Island, Republicans both, openly questioning and assailing the GOP leadership in the House of Representatives.

But the effort also put a focus on the relationships between the three governors in the tri-state area, with extra special attention on Cuomo and Christie, who have by all accounts worked well together, but are also potential presidential contenders down the road.

Here’s the statement:

“Our genuine thanks and gratitude goes out to the U.S. Senate for its thoughtful consideration and passage of the Hurricane Sandy disaster relief package. Despite the difficult path in getting to this moment, the Senate membership clearly recognized early on the urgency and necessity of approving the full aid package and its importance in rebuilding our battered infrastructure and getting our millions of affected residents back on their feet as quickly as possible. To all Americans, we are grateful for their willingness to come to our aid as we take on the monumental task of rebuilding and we pledge to do the same should our fellow citizens find themselves facing unexpected and harsh devastation.

“We also make special note of the tenacious efforts of our respective Congressional delegations in steering the Sandy aid package through their respective houses and bringing this aid home to their people.”

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