Earl Blumenauer: “I was pleased to work with our former colleague, Doug Bereuter, with Chairman Frank and with then-Chairman Oxley on some…”

“I was pleased to work with our former colleague, Doug Bereuter, with Chairman Frank and with then-Chairman Oxley on some serious flood insurance reform that predated the most recent disaster with Katrina. During that time, I had a chance to learn a lot about opportunities that the Federal Government has to alter its programs and policies to reduce this long-term exposure, and to think about the redesign of the partnership between the private sector, the State and local governments. While I appreciate my friend from Mississippi's tenacity in zeroing in on an area of very serious problem dealing with wind damage, and he has documented in great detail the almost impossible situation that many of his constituents and others in the Hurricane Katrina area have faced, I am trying to keep an open mind in terms of how far we go along the lines in terms of expanding it to add wind damage. I don't think that we have seen the end of this process. I am looking forward to working with my colleague on the legislative process as it moves along. I am deeply concerned that we haven't come to grips with the financing of our flood insurance program.”