| Take action: Ask Congress to keep the nation's flood insurance program from drowning. | View online | |
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| | |  | | Ask Congress to Keep the Nation's Flood Insurance Program from Drowning. Act Now» | | | |
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| Dear JoAnn,
This year we witnessed one of the most destructive and costly hurricane seasons on record. In four weeks, three major storms—Harvey, Irma, and Maria—battered the United States from Texas and South Carolina to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, leaving at least 260 dead and more than $250 billion in estimated damage.
As with past natural disasters, Congress acted quickly to provide emergency assistance. But the federal government should do more to protect families and communities from this level of destruction in the future. This year, Congress has the opportunity to do just that by reforming the National Flood Insurance Program, which expires Dec. 8.
Burdened with debt, the NFIP is ill-equipped to deal with the catastrophic events we are all too familiar with today. Just last week, the House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Flood Reform Act (H.R. 2874),which would address the growing problem of repeatedly flooded properties; require property sellers to disclose flood risk; and limit the federal government's exposure to the riskiest and costliest properties. However, the act doesn't do enough to reduce flood-related damage and the impact on homes, communities, and taxpayers.
The Senate now must act quickly to take up the House bill and make needed changes to improve the financial solvency of the NFIP so that it can continue to pay out claims to flood victims and break the costly cycle of flooding and rebuilding.
Please contact your senators today and encourage them to reform and reauthorize the NFIP.
Best, | | Laura Lightbody
Project Director
The Pew Charitable Trusts |  | | |
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|  |  | | Stay Connected | Learn more about the Pew Charitable Trusts and our mission:
| | | | For more on the Flood-Prepared Communities project at Pew: | | | | | |  | |  | | | | | |
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