On the recordJuly 15, 2010
Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to thank the chairwoman, Chairwoman Waters, for her hard work on this very important piece of legislation. H.R. 5114, the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act, provides for the long-term reauthorization reform of the National Flood Insurance Program, extending it for 5 years, through September 30, 2015. The bill would phase out subsidized premium rates for certain properties, increase the annual limit on premium rate increases, and impose minimum deductibles for all policies. The bill before us today, I believe, makes constructive reforms to eliminate certain subsidies and strengthens the financial soundness of the NFIP. Unfortunately, it also includes wasteful government spending. While I wish the bill went further to place the program on a path toward self-sufficiency and limit taxpayer exposure, I will support the final passage of this bill. The NFIP is currently operating under a short-term extension through September 30, 2010, after experiencing its third lapse this year. H.R. 5114 makes constructive reforms to eliminate certain subsidies and strengthen financial soundness. In addition, several Republican proposals have been incorporated in H.R.…





