U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) addressed the U.S. Senate, warning of potential consequences if Congress does not act to prevent a lapse in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) before its scheduled expiration on September 30. Cassidy stressed the importance of maintaining stability for Louisiana families and millions of policyholders nationwide who depend on the program.
“It is irresponsible for Congress to continue to make families hold their breath and hope the rug will not be pulled out from beneath them. It is a pattern that should end,” said Dr. Cassidy.
“Let’s keep the National Flood Insurance Program alive—and then let’s keep it strong, reliable, and worthy of the trust that millions of American families place in it every day,” continued Dr. Cassidy.
Cassidy referenced recent hurricanes affecting Louisiana, including Hurricane Francine last year, which caused more than $1.5 billion in damage across the state but resulted in no loss of life. He described efforts made over the past year to secure federal resources for both recovery and mitigation following these disasters, such as a $118 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development specifically for Hurricane Francine relief.
He highlighted investments in flood prevention through programs like FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), established during President Trump’s administration, and noted that over $10 billion has been secured for Louisiana through federal infrastructure legislation, much directed at flood mitigation.
Cassidy also pointed out additional grants announced after Hurricane Francine: $206 million for elevating homes at risk of flooding in several parishes; $1.5 million for emergency protective measures taken by Louisiana’s Department of Public Safety; and another $1.5 million awarded later.
The senator called attention to ongoing instability within NFIP funding, noting that Congress has passed thirty-three short-term extensions over ten years without enacting long-term reauthorization or reform.
“If the government is not funded, the National Flood Insurance Program will lapse, leaving the nearly 500,000 Louisianans enrolled in the program—and millions more Americans—without coverage,” Cassidy stated during his speech.
He warned that hurricane season continues beyond September 30 and expressed concern about residents’ ability to access insurance coverage if NFIP lapses due to a government shutdown or lack of congressional action.
Cassidy urged colleagues to pass both immediate funding measures and a long-term extension for NFIP so policyholders can rely on continued protection against flooding risks: “Let’s act now—so that when the next storm comes, families don’t have to wonder whether their coverage will be there.”
