Nov. 29 SmarterSafer letter on flood insurance
SmarterSafer.org — a coalition that includes R Street as well as industry, environmental and taxpayer groups that favor fiscally and environmentally responsible public policy solutions to the problems of natural catastrophes — sent this letter on Nov. 29 to every member of Congress, cautioning them about adding to the National Flood Insurance Program’s already $18 billion debt.
The letter calls on Congress and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reform the NFIP to better protect people who live in flood zones, the environment, and taxpayers, including timely implementation of the flood reforms signed into law this year. The coalition also urged future reforms, such as directing FEMA to charge risk based rates for all flood insurance policies and requiring homeowners in areas that are supposed to be protected by flood control measures such as levees and dams to purchase flood insurance as a condition of receiving a federally insured mortgage.
