Cassidy Flood Insurance Amendment, EGO Act and RESTORE Act Provisions Pass House In Omnibus Bill
Press Release
Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy, M.D. successfully included his Flood Insurance Amendment, EGO Act and RESTORE Act provisions in the 2014 Omnibus federal appropriations bill, which will fund government operations until October 2014 and passed through the House of Representatives this afternoon.
On flood insurance, the Cassidy Amendment effectively delays certain flood insurance rate hikes for up to 400,000 Louisiana residents for over a year into 2015. Thanks to Dr. Cassidy's leadership, it also restores $10.2 million in funds for RESTORE Act coastal restoration projects that was previously cut by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Dr. Cassidy was also successful in adding a provision banning the use of taxpayer dollars for oil portraits for federal officials. Finally, the omnibus bill protects medically retired military personnel from pension reductions and increases military spending by $22 billion. Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:
"The bipartisan bill that passed today addresses important priorities for Louisiana. It postpones flood insurance rate hikes on approximately 400,000 Louisiana homeowners. It supports veterans by giving them an increase in pay, reverses cuts to disabled veterans and eliminates wasteful spending on oil portraits through my EGO Act. In addition, it prevents the Obama Administration from raiding the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, monies needed to restore Louisiana's coast and protect Louisiana citizens.
The Cassidy Amendment on flood insurance previously passed the House on June 6 2013, but has yet to receive full Senate consideration. This marks the second time the House of Representatives has acted to bring relief to millions of policy holders nationwide.
Additionally, the ban on taxpayer dollars going to oil portraits for federal officials originates from Dr. Cassidy's Eliminating Government-Funded Oil-Paintings (EGO) Act. Dr. Cassidy believes that Americans should not be asked to pay for these portraits out of their pocketbooks. Background on the EGO Act is available from the Washington Free Beacon, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and from the episode of the The O'Reilly Factor on May 14, 2013 linked here.
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