Political Quotes

“Back home, I've talked to thousands of my constituents and had thousands of my constituents talk back to me, scream back to me, and cry in my arms because of the impact of this legislation. Right now what they're facing is a double whammy when it comes to flood insurance. They face the likelihood of higher rates and incorrect flood maps. FEMA has drafted new maps that completely ignore the facts on the ground. The maps disregard nonstructural features, like marshland and forest and our investment into restoring our coast. It also ignores the investment and sacrifices by locals to build their own levees. These communities are investing in their own safety, in their own security, and FEMA should recognize that. In many of these communities, like the west side of St. Charles Parish, the levees are more than 100 years old, and many of these communities have not flooded in 100 years. If that's not 100-year flood protection, I don't know what is. You see, for too long, the National Flood Insurance Program wasn't on stable footing. Since the last long-term authorization expired in 2008, we had to pass nine short-term extensions. During that time, the program lapsed five times. The last time, in June of 2010, approximately 47,000 home sales were delayed or canceled. Due to the leadership of my colleague, Representative Waters, last July we passed the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act.…”