Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Ms. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ of California. I rise today on behalf of residents of southern California who are struggling to make ends meet. In recent months, I've heard from a number of constituents who will soon be required to pay more than a thousand dollars a year in flood insurance premiums even though they live in a virtual desert. That's right. Southern California is officially a semi-arid, near-desert region, but many of my constituents are being told to pay a thousand dollars a year or more to guard against floods.

These families want to know why their homes were considered safe just months ago but are now considered to be in a flood zone under new FEMA maps. They want to know what has changed in such a short time to threaten their safety, particularly given the recent infrastructure investments in the L.A. River Basin.

Let me be clear, I support the National Flood Insurance Program because floods can devastate a community, but where flood maps are outdated, they should be corrected to better protect communities.

However, local residents should be involved in the process and given a chance to be heard before their homes are rezoned. This bill will also allow families the choice to pay their premiums in installments and allow families to lessen the burden on their budget.

I thank Congresswoman Waters, and I urge passage of the bill.

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