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WASHINGTON
–
U.S.
Senators
Tim
Scott
(R-S.C.)
and
Brian
Schatz
(D-Hawai‘i)
and
U.S.
Representatives
Mark
Sanford
(R-S.C.)
and
Earl
Blumenauer
(D-Ore.)
introduced
legislation
that
would
help
more
vulnerable
homeowners
move
out
of
dangerous
flood
zones.
The
bipartisan
bill
calls
for
a
comprehensive
review
of
the
Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency’s
(FEMA)
program
to
reduce
flood
risk
and
taxpayer
exposure
by
buying
homes
from
property
owners
in
flood-prone
areas.
“As
a
South
Carolinian
who
grew
up
on
the
coast,
I
know
well
the
devastation
floods
can
bring
without
warning.
Unfortunately,
many
of
our
communities
have
flooded
repeatedly
over
the
years,
leaving
families
facing
the
constant
fear
of
flooding
and
rebuilding
their
homes
over
and
over
again,”
said
Sen.
Scott.
“The
bipartisan
Promoting
Flood
Risk
Mitigation
Act
will
create
better
ways
of
helping
people
stuck
in
repeatedly
flooded
areas
while
putting
the
NFIP
on
stronger
financial
footing
so
it’s
around
for
future
generations.”
“Massively
destructive
storms
have
become
more
common
in
recent
decades,”
said
Rep.
Sanford.
“For
example,
in
Charleston,
there
were
fewer
than
five
days
of
flooding
annually
in
the
late
1950s,
but
in
2016,
there
were
a
record
50
days
of
flooding.
Accordingly,
flood
insurance
buyouts
are
the
ultimate
form
of
mitigation.
Indeed,
every
dollar
invested
in
pre-disaster
mitigation
saves
$8
in
avoided
future
damages.
The
current
process
needs
improvement,
and
this
bill
will
help
to
streamline
the
system.”
“As
severe
weather
becomes
the
new
reality,
homeowners
are
increasingly
caught
in
a
dangerous
and
costly
cycle
of
flooding
and
recovery,”
said
Sen.
Schatz.
“FEMA
is
working
to
help
homeowners
through
voluntary
buyouts,
but
that
process
can
take
years,
and
it
leaves
homeowners
and
taxpayers
at
risk.
We
have
a
fiscal
and
a
moral
obligation
to
make
sure
this
program
works
efficiently
and
helps
as
many
people
as
possible,
and
that’s
what
our
bill
will
do.”
“Community
after
community
has
been
devastated
by
flooding,
and
too
many
families
continue
to
be
in
harm’s
way,”
said
Rep.
Blumenauer.
“The
federal
government
must
be
proactive
to
reduce
flood
risk.
That
means
ensuring
those
families
trapped
in
repeatedly
flooded
properties
have
a
way
out.”
According
to
the
National
Oceanic
and
Atmospheric
Administration’s
National
Centers
for
Environmental
Information,
in
2017
the
United
States
experienced
16
severe
weather
events
that
have
resulted
in
losses
exceeding
$1
billion.
These
events
include
a
record
number
of
Category
4
hurricanes
that
have
killed
dozens
of
people.
Over
the
past
ten
years,
the
U.S.
government
has
spent
more
than
$350
billion
to
help
communities
recover
from
severe
weather.
Research
shows
that
in
communities
subject
to
repeated
flooding,
it
is
more
cost-effective
for
the
federal
government
to
work
with
local
communities
to
purchase
homes
from
willing
owners,
rather
than
rebuilding
after
each
flood.
The
legislation
has
been
endorsed
by
the
Association
of
State
Floodplain
Managers,
Consumer
Mortgage
Coalition,
National
Association
of
Realtors,
R
Street
Institute,
Enterprise
Community
Partners,
The
Pew
Charitable
Trusts,
American
Rivers,
Natural
Resources
Defense
Council,
The
Nature
Conservancy,
and
the
Union
of
Concerned
Scientists.
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