Earl Blumenauer: “I yield myself 1 of the remaining 2 minutes. The fact that Michigan has paid in more than they have received, or that 10…”

“I yield myself 1 of the remaining 2 minutes. The fact that Michigan has paid in more than they have received, or that 10 States have paid in more than they have received during the last 20 years is irrelevant. The point is that it is a flood insurance program. And some years you are going to get more; some years you are going to get less. And you don't look at it over a 10-year or a 20-year program. We make it as fair as we can, and we look at the probabilities. We need to update all of the floodplain maps so that we minimize any fluctuation. If everybody who was upset that they got back less than they paid in was monkeying around with updating the maps, then the system would be more and more out of whack and there would be more and more inequity. What we should do is allow FEMA, the Corps of Engineers, to do their job, to update all of the maps and make it fair. Make no mistake, make no mistake; if a tremendous flood comes, people are going to want their help now, and they will understand why they paid a little more at another time. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time, and I reserve the right to close. The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentlewoman's time has expired, so the gentleman is recognized to close.”