From PropertyCasualty360:

R.J. Lehmann, senior fellow at conservative think tank R Street Institute, said the “unstated, but quite clear, goal of this convoluted process is simply to gut any reform until the NFIP’s existing statutory authority would be scheduled to expire.”

Lehmann urged that any tweaks to the law be considered through a thoughtful and deliberative process. 

“To the extent that there are legitimate concerns about affordability or how the Biggert-Waters reforms are implemented, those are best addressed through targeted, limited and means-tested programs considered through regular legislative order,” Lehmann said.

“Simply kicking the can down the road with delays, whether short-term or long-term, fails to grapple with the reality that the flood program is broke, that the benefits being phased out flow disproportionately to wealthy homeowners and that, against the backdrop of rising sea levels and increasingly costly catastrophes, we simply can no longer afford to encourage people to live in flood-prone areas,” he added.

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