Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis is a Republican representing Florida’s 12th Congressional District, which includes all of Pasco and northern parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. He was first elected to Congress on November 7, 2006. Gus serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee. He is the Ranking Member of Consumer Protection & Commerce Subcommittee and a Member of the Health Subcommittee and Communications and Technology Subcommittee. With 38 bills he authored signed into law since 2015, Congressman Bilirakis was recently designated as the Most Effective Republican Lawmaker in the State of Florida by the Center for Effective Lawmaking at Vanderbilt University.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the primary underwriter of flood insurance. Hurricanes over the last decade have placed the program over $23 billion in debt. The program is currently funded through September 30, 2021.
However, it is important to note that in the event the program lapses, all existing Flood Insurance plans would continue to operate, and claims would be paid. But no new plans could be added to the program during the lapse. Congressman Bilirakis is working in a bipartisan manner to ensure that doesn’t happen, as it would be catastrophic for our state and regional housing market and economy.
The majority of constituents who participate in this program live in modest homes, many of which are not even on the water. While the program received a short-term extension and Congress provided emergency funding to keep it operational, it is imperative to ensure the long-term sustainability of this critical program.
In the 115th Congress, the House passed NFIP legislation which would have been beneficial to Florida policyholders. The Congressman was able to share the concerns outlined by Pasco and Pinellas counties with House leadership, and was able to secure many rewrites to the bill that would benefit Floridians. This bill would have ensured the continuation of the program for five years, with safeguards to ensure affordability, encourage private providers to enter the market, and give greater transparency to the program. Unfortunately, the Senate did not pass the bill, however, the Congressman remains committed to the long-term success of this vital program.
Some constituents find that they are paying premiums much higher than their risk of flooding dictates. This is because the rate tables NFIP uses to determine premiums are outdated and are not based on reliable data. Congressman Bilirakis has previously filed the Flood Insurance Integrity Act, legislation which would help fix this problem. The House is once again working on another NFIP bill, and Congressman Bilirakis is hopeful that a bipartisan compromise can be reached. He understands that we must continue to work towards long-term reauthorization of NFIP to ensure stability in the housing market in our area.