I fully believe we should stop subsidizing risk as we go forward for new construction, for secondary homes, and for businesses.

Compassion and common sense is what we are asking for. And it affects millions of homeowners and businesses.

It is not just about property. It is not the property I am worried about. It is the people, the families.

I want to see who is really willing to help these property owners.

One, if Biggert-Waters and the bill was prospective, I think the country could deal with this in a better way.

There has got to be some overriding law in the Constitution of the United States that says you cannot implement a law if you cannot implement it.

I am very proud that this Committee has voted out President Obama's recommendation, and it was our own as well, to increase CDFI authority from $3 billion to $4 billion.

They authorized immediate rate increases on homeowners and businesses that played by the rules.

We are going to take that rug out right from underneath them. This is the triple whammy.

Middle-income families, even some at the high end of the middle class, are going to have a hard time accepting the new rules.

it is our obligation as government, I believe, to make sure that we give those small businesses every opportunity to succeed.

They do not flood. They do not price their people out of the market.

Good intentions to make the program self-sufficient, wholly inadequate data about the loss of affordability.

I do not think we should put out information when it ends up with 80-percent inaccuracy.

I have heard from a ton of constituents who had their flood insurance claim denied or reduced.

But should people who have lived their all their lives, who are middle class, be priced out of their homes? And I do not agree.

When I was State Treasurer, I started the first 'bank-at-school' program in Louisiana for exactly that purpose--for the third graders.

But I think that if it is not obvious yet it will be obvious to the American people that some people ought to just not be governing.

I do not believe that FEMA should be allowed to phase out subsidies or end grandfathering until it presents a plan to make flood insurance more affordable.

The ripple effect of real estate that you cannot sell because the premium is unaffordable.

today I wish to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Warren Easton High School in New Orleans, LA. The students, faculty, staff, school leaders, alumni and community members are celebrating 100 years of excellence in education and…

I wish to move to another subject. I wish to offer at this time two amendments to the underlying bill that we are trying to debate, which is a very important bill on energy efficiency. I know we cannot debate any amendments, but I think I…

I understand that Members can speak for up to 10 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct. ____________________

I would like to speak about an issue completely separated from the international concerns we all share because closer to home there was an action taken today by the House of Representatives that has me extremely concerned as the senior…

I come to the floor today to speak for a few minutes about an exciting new area of collaboration between the United States and Israel, our critical ally and friend in the Middle East. Especially given the current state of affairs in the…