Deborah Koff Ross: “I thank the chairman and the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Duffy, for his efforts, too, in trying to provide significant…”

“I thank the chairman and the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Duffy, for his efforts, too, in trying to provide significant reforms. I support their efforts in opposing this additional reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program. We have done this eight times in just over the year, and what have we gotten in return? Some would say nothing. I would say, no, it has been worse than nothing. You see, we forgave $16 billion in debt and got no reforms in response to that. Now the NFIP is $20 billion in debt again, yet we look at: Oh, but it is just $20 billion. In over 13 years, the interest on that is $5 billion. When are we going to stop this insanity? More disturbing, however, Mr. Speaker, is this House's failure to stand up to even the most modest technical reforms that would benefit the program. During my time in this body, I have been proud to champion one such bill, the Private Flood Insurance Market Development Act. To me, it defies logic that this coequal Chamber would pass a bill unanimously through the authorizing committee this Congress and then unanimously through the whole House in the last Congress and, yet, abandon its opportunities every time thereafter. My legislation is simple. It is a technical correction that will facilitate the growth of a private market alternative to the drowning national program that we have today. It is bipartisan. It is desperately needed.…”