Flood Insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the primary underwriter of flood insurance. Hurricanes over the last decade have placed the program over $23 billion in debt. The program is currently funded but needs reauthorization. Congressman Bilirakis is working in a bipartisan manner to ensure the program does not lapse, as it would be catastrophic for our state and regional housing market and economy.
Bilirakis Leads Bipartisan Effort to Lower Flood Insurance Rates for Pinellas County Residents
Bilirakis Champions Technological Advancement in Flood-Prone Areas
Tropical Storm Hermine caused significant destruction throughout the Tampa Bay area. Official estimates indicate that the storm left almost $89 million in damages throughout Pasco County alone. After personally visiting flooded areas throughout my District, I contacted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Commander Kirk to ask that their agency serve as a resource in helping to craft a workable solution to provide relief. It is important that leaders at the federal, state and local levels work together to find solutions.
Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Congressman David Jolly (FL-13) have introduced legislation to protect Florida homeowners from impending increases in flood insurance rates. The Flood Insurance Rate Increase Suspension Act (H.R. 4866), which was filed on March 24 by the bay area Republicans, would delay any increase in flood insurance premium rates for certain properties for 12 months.
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) is delighted to announce that his efforts to help flood victims in Pasco County continue to yield positive results. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently approved an initial $50,000 investment to prepare the Federal Interest Determination (FID) for the Pasco County infrastructure project. This is the first step in obtaining implementation dollars from the Corps.
Washington, D.C. – Earlier today, Congressman Bilirakis issued the following update to constituents in Congressional District 12 regarding the availability of flooding relief:
"It is an honor to receive this award, because I believe in conservative values and principles. Limited government, fiscal responsibility, and individual freedoms are all ideals in which I strongly believe. The American Dream is not dead," Bilirakis said. "I believe in giving all Americans the opportunity to lift themselves up, and I believe in the virtue of hard work. This is the slowest economic recovery in American history, and too many women and men across the country still feel like we are in a recession. The recovery is the product of the failure of big government policies.
"CMS is clearly subverting the intent and letter of the law passed by Congress by needlessly inserting themselves into the Medicare Part D program," Bilirakis said. "CMS justifies their intrusion as a cost-saving measure because they claim their proposed rules will reduce fraud and abuse, among other aspects. Medicare Part D is a wildly successful program, and there are better ways to save money in the Part D program than enacting rules that will reduce seniors' access to affordable medications and increase premiums."
"The Obama Administration continues to ignore the provisions of its own law," said Bilirakis. "The dates of implementation for the Employer Mandate were written into the statute. The Obama Administration has simply ignored these provisions. This is tacit confirmation and incontrovertible proof that the law is unworkable. When the Obama Administration starts ignoring its own deadlines, it is a clear sign this law was never ready for prime time."