Congressman James Langevin said Friday that he’s working to bring legislation to the House floor that would delay higher flood insurance premiums for four years.
“It has my attention and the …
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Congressman James Langevin said Friday that he’s working to bring legislation to the House floor that would delay higher flood insurance premiums for four years.
“It has my attention and the attention of my colleagues,” Langevin said of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act.
The act that took affect last July phases out federal subsides of the flood insurance program. As a result, homeowners with subsidized policies are seeing premium increases that Rhode Island realtors report have adversely impacted the market and have some people questioning whether they can afford to keep their homes.
“I know my constituents are feeling pain,” Langevin said.
The congressman said that if nothing is done, the legislation, which he and the rest of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation voted for, would adversely affect neighborhoods. The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act addresses the $24 billion flood insurance program debt by eliminating government subsides. Now, however, homeowners with flood insurance are realizing the impact of the program.
“If we don’t do something, it’s going to alter the neighborhoods,” Langevin said.
In Warwick, 1,871 homeowners have flood insurance policies. Of that number, about 40 percent are subsidized. Flood insurance is required for mortgaged homes within a flood zone that is determined by maps drawn by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The risk that a property is subject to affects the premium, and is determined by the flood zone and its elevation above the base flood level.
In Conimicut, Oakland Beach, Riverview and other low lying coastline Warwick neighborhoods, some that have survived successive storms, including the 1938 hurricane, don’t meet today’s flood codes. Those homeowners are seeing dramatic increases in their premiums, with reports of a policy costing $4,500 escalating to $32,000 to cover $250,000 in damage.
Last month, the Senate majority approved the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. The legislation includes an amendment introduced by Senator Jack Reed that calls for a study of voluntary community-based flood insurance programs.
“This kind of voluntary, community-based flood insurance plan could potentially give communities the option to purchase blanket policies for all properties in their communities or a portion of their communities,” according to a release from Reed’s office.
Langevin didn’t offer an opinion on Reed’s provision, but he is pushing for a bill to delay premium increases.
“We have to do the right thing,” he insisted.
But getting the bill to a floor vote in the House has proved challenging. Langevin said 185 Representatives have signed onto the bill, which is short of the 218 needed for a clear majority. He said, without that majority, the House leadership wouldn’t bring the bill up for a vote.
“I’m going to try to raise the volume to get the Speaker’s attention,” Langevin said.
If the bill reached the floor and gained approval, it is still unknown what will become of those people who have already lost subsidies and are paying higher premiums.
Would they get a refund? Will the difference be applied to future premiums?
Langevin didn’t have an answer.
“That would have to be taken up in conference,” he said.
4 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
falina
Well perhaps then, he shouldn't have voted for the initial legislation in the FIRST PLACE! Good grief! When are people going to wake up and stop voting these fools into office?
Tuesday, February 11, 2014 Report this
falina
This article would hold much more water (no pun intended) with the voters, if he and his colleagues just came right out and admitted their error. Now he's trying to play "hero" when in all reality he is the villain who voted for it in the first place!
Tuesday, February 11, 2014 Report this
JohnStark
“We have to do the right thing,” he insisted. In other words, 'We need to undo what we've done.' This would be comical if it weren't so infuriating.. And the scary part is that people will continue to line up and vote for this guy because they feel sorry for him. Nice guy, even admirable guy. But a guy who manufactures a problem for his constituents, then pounds his chest when he attempts to fix the problem that he, himself, has created. Time for Jim to be introduced to the dreaded private sector.
Thursday, February 13, 2014 Report this
stopfemanowri
Help us Stop FEMA and Save Our Homes and Communities.. We are a local community organization dedicated to stopping this flood insurance mayhem that congress is responsible for creating. Someone(s) are getting very rich over this. When I first contacted the legislators about this in July, they had no idea what I was talking about. Later in a follow-up call I was told that it was tagged on to the transportation bill that they didn't know was there. Proves that they never read what they vote on. This is seizure by proxy. The government is using the banks to take our homes by foreclosure. Help us fight this injustice. Remember this when you vote in November.
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Friday, February 14, 2014 Report this