Bill Keating: “I thank the gentlewoman from California, and I also want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from California, and I also want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their support of an amendment that really is relevant right now. In Barnstable County, Massachusetts, a single coordinator for the FEMA community rating system program is helping 11 of the 15 towns invest in a regional level mitigation to bring down flood insurance premiums for the people of Cape Cod. That coordinator is working to include all 15 towns in the program and help residents achieve flood insurance discounts of up to 15 percent in year 1 alone. My amendment in this package would fund grants to help towns in other parts of the country partner together and hire their own regional CRS coordinators. More local governments would be able to mitigate flood risk and lower the cost of premiums for residents in their areas. Nobody loses under this scenario. We make flood insurance more affordable, we encourage investment in flood mitigation, and because of the cost-saving use of Federal dollars, the CBO reports this amendment will reduce the deficit by $5 million in 2018. It is such a really important time in our country when we face challenges of major storms and floods. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased the amendment was included in the en bloc, and I urge my colleagues to support this package.”