politics and geography.1

 Looking at a post this morning that disaster relief might be cut $900 million,  hard on the heels of Hurricane Sandy's hit to New York City and Mid-Atlantic states.

Just think, if both disaster relief and crop insurance were administered by the same federal agency, both 'red' agricultural states that were hit by drought and 'blue' coastal states hit by hurricane would have a basis to cooperate to support such an agency's funding. 

We have at least one other odd agency/geography split as well. The Army Corps of Engineers manages the Mississippi River basin in mid-continent, while the US Geological Survey interacts with many state-run hydrologic management systems to the east and west. 

That's oversimplifying, but the implications for the splits in Congress over funding is huge. 
The implication for what could make Congress more functional and cooperative is also huge.