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<BillSummaries>
<item congress="113" measure-type="s" measure-number="996" measure-id="id113s996" originChamber="SENATE" orig-publish-date="2013-05-21" update-date="2013-06-27">
<title>A bill to improve the National Flood Insurance Program, and for other purposes.</title>
<summary summary-id="id113s996v00" currentChamber="SENATE" update-date="2013-06-27">
<action-date>2013-05-21</action-date>
<action-desc>Introduced in Senate</action-desc>
<summary-text><![CDATA[<p>Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to repeal the prohibition against provision of flood insurance by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to prospective insureds at rates less than standard estimates for property purchased after enactment of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Biggert-Waters). (Thus allows risk premium rates lower than standard rates for certain property purchased after Biggert-Waters.)</p> <p>Delays the effective date of any flood insurance rate changes until 180 days after FEMA submits: (1) a certain report on methods to establish an affordability framework for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), or (2) notice to the congressional committees concerned of an alternative method of gathering information for such report if the report cannot be submitted by its due date. <p>Directs FEMA to study options, methods, and implementing strategies for making available voluntary community-based flood insurance policies through NFIP.</p> <p>Prohibits FEMA, when determining whether a community has made adequate progress on the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a flood protection system, from considering the level of federal funding or participation.</p>  <p>Deems an action for the repair, restoration, and replacement of a totally destroyed structure or facility located in a coastal high hazard area for which an eligible entity received a contribution under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to be a &quot;substantial improvement&quot; for which grant funds may be used, if specified conditions are met<b>.</b></p> <p>Requires a replacement structure or facility to be relocated to an alternative site if FEMA determines that a practicable alternative located outside the coastal high hazard area exists and provides better protection against hazards associated with coastal high hazard areas.</p> <p>Prescribes deed restrictions to dedicate and maintain it in perpetuity as open space for the conservation of natural floodplain functions for any property involved in the construction of replacement structures or facilities, either the original site if the replacement structure or facility is relocated, or an alternative parcel of land in the coastal high hazard area if the replacement is rebuilt at the same location.</p>]]></summary-text>
</summary>
</item>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
<dc:contributor>Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress</dc:contributor>
<dc:description>This file contains bill summaries for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.</dc:description>
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