County Legislator Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence) said he would encourage his constituents to contact Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to push for the bill’s passage. “Our faith-based community organizations played an invaluable role in the overall response to Hurricane Sandy, first in the immediate aftermath, and ever since,” said Kopel, who represents the 7th District. “Without the leadership, resources and community knowledge these institutions provided in those first devastating days following Sandy, it’s possible that the degree of despair and disorder pervading storm-ravaged communities would have been too great to overcome.”