Kathy Castor: “Mr. Speaker, in the face of natural catastrophes that too often strike our communities, the Congress today will initiate…”

“Mr. Speaker, in the face of natural catastrophes that too often strike our communities, the Congress today will initiate a new planning effort through H.R. 3355 and this rule. This new effort will assist our communities and hopefully tackle the rising cost of homeowners property insurance. My colleagues from Florida, Representative Ron Klein and Representative Tim Mahoney, have led this bipartisan effort. I thank them for their tireless work and leadership, their leadership that should help our neighbors back home and folks across this country find affordable and available homeowners insurance. Following some of the most expensive natural disasters in our Nation's history, like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and Wilma and the fires and the floods and the earthquakes, homeowners across this country have been subjected to wild fluctuations and horrendous cost increases for their property insurance. Insurance premiums are out of sight. They have skyrocketed. Well, we understand. We feel it in our own bills. I hear it from the retired older woman in West Tampa back home who has owned her house for 30 years and is on a fixed income.”