[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 253 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 253


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 21, 2003

                                Received

                            December 9. 2003

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to reduce losses to 
  properties for which repetitive flood insurance claim payments have 
                               been made.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Flood Insurance Reform Act of 
2003''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the national flood insurance program (A) identifies the 
        flood risk, (B) provides flood risk information to the public, 
        (C) encourages State and local governments to make appropriate 
        land use adjustments to constrict the development of land which 
        is exposed to flood damage and minimize damage caused by flood 
        losses, and (D) makes flood insurance available on a nationwide 
        basis that would otherwise not be available, to accelerate 
        recovery from floods, mitigate future losses, save lives, and 
        reduce the personal and national costs of flood disasters;
            (2) the national flood insurance program insures 
        approximately 4,400,000 policyholders;
            (3) approximately 48,000 properties currently insured under 
        the program have experienced, within a 10-year period, two or 
        more flood losses where each such loss exceeds the amount 
        $1,000;
            (4) approximately 10,000 of these repetitive-loss 
        properties have experienced either two or three losses that 
        cumulatively exceed building value or four or more losses, each 
        exceeding $1,000;
            (5) repetitive-loss properties constitute a significant 
        drain on the resources of the national flood insurance program, 
        costing about $200,000,000 annually;
            (6) repetitive-loss properties comprise approximately one 
        percent of currently insured properties but are expected to 
        account for 25 to 30 percent of claims losses;
            (7) the vast majority of repetitive-loss properties were 
        built before local community implementation of floodplain 
        management standards under the program and thus are eligible 
        for subsidized flood insurance;
            (8) while some property owners take advantage of the 
        program allowing subsidized flood insurance without requiring 
        mitigation action, others are trapped in a vicious cycle of 
        suffering flooding, then repairing flood damage, then suffering 
        flooding, without the means to mitigate losses or move out of 
        harm's way;
            (9) mitigation of repetitive-loss properties through 
        buyouts, elevations, relocations, or flood-proofing will 
        produce savings for policyholders under the program and for 
        Federal taxpayers through reduced flood insurance losses and 
        reduced Federal disaster assistance;
            (10) a strategy of making mitigation offers aimed at high-
        priority repetitive-loss properties and shifting more of the 
        burden of recovery costs to property owners who choose to 
        remain vulnerable to repetitive flood damage can encourage 
        property owners to take appropriate actions that reduce loss of 
        life and property damage and benefit the financial soundness of 
        the program; and
            (11) the method for addressing repetitive-loss properties 
        should be flexible enough to take into consideration legitimate 
        circumstances that may prevent an owner from taking a 
        mitigation action.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF PROGRAM AND CONSOLIDATION OF AUTHORIZATIONS.

    The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is amended as follows:
            (1) Borrowing authority.--In the first sentence of section 
        1309(a) (42 U.S.C. 4016(a)), by striking ``through December'' 
        and all that follows through ``, and'' and inserting the 
        following: ``through the date specified in section 1319, and''.
            (2) Authority for contracts.--In section 1319 (42 U.S.C. 
        4026), by striking ``after'' and all that follows and inserting 
        ``after September 30, 2008.''.
            (3) Emergency implementation.--In section 1336(a) (42 
        U.S.C. 4056(a)), by striking ``during the period'' and all that 
        follows through ``in accordance'' and inserting ``during the 
        period ending on the date specified in section 1319, in 
        accordance''.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations for studies.--In 
        section 1376(c) (42 U.S.C. 4127(c)), by striking ``through'' 
        and all that follows and inserting the following: ``through the 
        date specified in section 1319, for studies under this 
        title.''.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF PILOT PROGRAM FOR MITIGATION OF SEVERE 
              REPETITIVE LOSS PROPERTIES.

    (a) In General.--The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 is 
amended by inserting after section 1361 (42 U.S.C. 4102) the following 
new section:

  ``pilot program for mitigation of severe repetitive loss properties

    ``Sec. 1362. (a) Authority.--To the extent amounts are made 
available for use under this section, the Director may, subject to the 
limitations of this section, provide financial assistance to States and 
communities for taking actions with respect to severe repetitive loss 
properties (as such term is defined in subsection (b)) to mitigate 
flood damage to such properties and losses to the National Flood 
Insurance Fund from such properties.
    ``(b) Severe Repetitive Loss Property.--For purposes of this 
section, the term `severe repetitive loss property' has the following 
meaning:
            ``(1) Single-family properties.--In the case of a property 
        consisting of one to four residences, such term means a 
        property that--
                    ``(A) is covered under a contract for flood 
                insurance made available under this title; and
                    ``(B) has incurred flood-related damage--
                            ``(i) for which four or more separate 
                        claims payments have been made under flood 
                        insurance coverage under this title before the 
                        date of the enactment of the Flood Insurance 
                        Reform Act of 2003, with the amount of each 
                        such claim exceeding $5,000, and with the 
                        cumulative amount of such claims payments 
                        exceeding $20,000;
                            ``(ii) for which four or more separate 
                        claims payments have been made under flood 
                        insurance coverage under this title after the 
                        date of the enactment of the Flood Insurance 
                        Reform Act of 2003, with the amount of each 
                        such claim exceeding $3,000, and with the 
                        cumulative amount of such claims payments 
                        exceeding $15,000; or
                            ``(iii) for which at least two separate 
                        claims payments have been made under such 
                        coverage, with the cumulative amount of such 
                        claims exceeding the value of the property.
            ``(2) Multifamily properties.--In the case of a property 
        consisting of five or more residences, such term shall have 
        such meaning as the Director shall by regulation provide.
    ``(c) Eligible Activities.--Amounts provided under this section to 
a State or community may be used only for the following activities:
            ``(1) Mitigation activities.--To carry out mitigation 
        activities that reduce flood damages to severe repetitive loss 
        properties, including elevation, relocation, demolition, and 
        floodproofing of structures, and minor physical localized flood 
        control projects.
            ``(2) Purchase.--To purchase severe repetitive loss 
        properties, subject to subsection (f).
    ``(d) Matching Requirement.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Director may not provide assistance under this section to a 
        State or community in an amount exceeding 3 times the amount 
        that the State or community certifies, as the Director shall 
        require, that the State or community will contribute from non-
        Federal funds for carrying out the eligible activities to be 
        funded with such assistance amounts.
            ``(2) Waiver.--
                    ``(A) Authority.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                Director may waive the limitation under paragraph (1) 
                for any State, and for the communities located in that 
                State, with respect to a year, if, for such year--
                            ``(i) 5 percent or more of the total number 
                        of severe repetitive loss properties in the 
                        United States are located in such State; and
                            ``(ii) the State submits a plan to the 
                        Director specifying how the State intends to 
                        reduce the number of severe repetitive loss 
                        properties and the Director determines, after 
                        consultation with State and technical experts, 
                        that the State has taken actions to reduce the 
                        number of such properties.
                    ``(B) Limitation.--In each waiver under 
                subparagraph (A), the Director may waive the limitation 
                under paragraph (1) only to the extent that the State 
                or community involved is required to contribute, for 
                each severe repetitive loss property for which grant 
                amounts are provided, not less than 10 percent of the 
                cost of the activities for such properties that are to 
                be funded with grant amounts.
            ``(3) Non-federal funds.--For purposes of this subsection, 
        the term `non-Federal funds' includes State or local agency 
        funds, in-kind contributions, any salary paid to staff to carry 
        out the eligible activities of the recipient, the value of the 
        time and services contributed by volunteers to carry out such 
        activities (at a rate determined by the Director), and the 
        value of any donated material or building and the value of any 
        lease on a building.
    ``(e) Standards for Mitigation Offers.--The program under this 
section for providing assistance for eligible activities for severe 
repetitive loss properties shall be subject to the following 
limitations:
            ``(1) Priority.--In determining the properties for which to 
        provide assistance for eligible activities under subsection 
        (c), the Director shall provide assistance for properties in 
        the order that will result in the greatest amount of savings to 
        the National Flood Insurance Fund in the shortest period of 
        time.
            ``(2) Offers.--The Director shall provide assistance in a 
        manner that permits States and communities to make offers to 
        owners of severe repetitive loss properties to take eligible 
        activities under subsection (c) as soon as is practicable.
            ``(3) Notice.--Upon making an offer to provide assistance 
        with respect to a property for any eligible activity under 
        subsection (c), the State or community shall notify each holder 
        of a recorded interest on the property of such offer and 
        activity.
    ``(f) Purchase Offers.--A State or community may take action under 
subsection (c)(2) to purchase a severe repetitive loss property only if 
the following requirements are met:
            ``(1) Use of property.--The State or community enters into 
        an agreement with the Director that provides assurances that 
        the property purchased will be used in a manner that is 
        consistent with the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of 
        section 404(b)(2)(B) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
        and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(b)(2)(B)) for 
        properties acquired, accepted, or from which a structure will 
        be removed pursuant to a project provided property acquisition 
        and relocation assistance under such section 404(b).
            ``(2) Purchase price.--The amount of purchase offer is not 
        less than the greatest of--
                    ``(A) the amount of the original purchase price of 
                the property, when purchased by the holder of the 
                current policy of flood insurance under this title;
                    ``(B) the total amount owed, at the time the offer 
                to purchase is made, under any loan secured by a 
                recorded interest on the property;
                    ``(C) an amount equal to the fair market value of 
                the property immediately before the most recent flood 
                event affecting the property; and
                    ``(D) an amount equal to the replacement value of 
                the property immediately before the most recent flood 
                event affecting the property, except that this 
                subparagraph shall apply in the case only of a property 
                for which the State or community taking action under 
                subsection (c)(2) determines, and the Director concurs, 
                that the fair market value referred to in subparagraph 
                (C) of the property is less than the purchase price of 
                a replacement primary residence that is of comparable 
                value, functionally equivalent, and located in the same 
                community or market area but not in an area having 
                special flood hazards.
    ``(g) Increased Premiums in Cases of Refusal to Mitigate.--
            ``(1) In general.--In any case in which the owner of a 
        severe repetitive loss property refuses an offer to take action 
        under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (c) with respect to 
        such property, the Director shall--
                    ``(A) notify each holder of a recorded interest on 
                the property of such refusal; and
                    ``(B) notwithstanding subsections (a) through (c) 
                of section 1308, thereafter the chargeable premium rate 
                with respect to the property shall be the amount equal 
                to 150 percent of the chargeable rate for the property 
                at the time that the offer was made, as adjusted by any 
                other premium adjustments otherwise applicable to the 
                property and any subsequent increases pursuant to 
                paragraph (2) and subject to the limitation under 
                paragraph (3).
            ``(2) Increased premiums upon subsequent flood damage.--
        Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (c) of section 1308, if 
        the owner of a severe repetitive loss property does not accept 
        an offer to take action under paragraph (1) or (2) of 
        subsection (c) with respect to such property and a claim 
        payment exceeding $1,500 is made under flood insurance coverage 
        under this title for damage to the property caused by a flood 
        event occurring after such offer is made, thereafter the 
        chargeable premium rate with respect to the property shall be 
        the amount equal to 150 percent of the chargeable rate for the 
        property at the time of such flood event, as adjusted by any 
        other premium adjustments otherwise applicable to the property 
        and any subsequent increases pursuant to this paragraph and 
        subject to the limitation under paragraph (3).
            ``(3) Limitation on increased premiums.--In no case may the 
        chargeable premium rate for a severe repetitive loss property 
        be increased pursuant to this subsection to an amount exceeding 
        the applicable estimated risk premium rate for the area (or 
        subdivision thereof) under section 1307(a)(1).
            ``(4) Treatment of deductibles.--Any increase in chargeable 
        premium rates required under this subsection for a severe 
        repetitive loss property may be carried out, to the extent 
        appropriate, as determined by the Director, by adjusting any 
        deductible charged in connection with flood insurance coverage 
        under this title for the property.
            ``(5) Notice of continued offer.--Upon each renewal or 
        modification of any flood insurance coverage under this title 
        for a severe repetitive loss property, the Director shall 
        notify the owner that the offer made pursuant to subsection (c) 
        is still open.
            ``(6) Appeals.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any owner of a severe repetitive 
                loss property may appeal a determination of the 
                Director to take action under paragraph (1)(B) or (2) 
                with respect to such property, based only upon the 
                following grounds:
                            ``(i) As a result of such action, the owner 
                        of the property will not be able to purchase a 
                        replacement primary residence of comparable 
                        value and that is functionally equivalent.
                            ``(ii) As a result of such action, the 
                        preservation or maintenance of any prehistoric 
                        or historic district, site, building, 
                        structure, or object included in, or eligible 
                        for inclusion in, the National Register of 
                        historic places will be interfered with, 
                        impaired, or disrupted.
                            ``(iii) The flooding that resulted in the 
                        flood insurance claims described in subsection 
                        (b)(2) for the property resulted from 
                        significant actions by a third party in 
                        violation of Federal, State, or local law, 
                        ordinance, or regulation.
                            ``(iv) In purchasing the property, the 
                        owner relied upon flood insurance rate maps of 
                        the Federal Emergency Management Agency that 
                        were current at the time and did not indicate 
                        that the property was located in an area having 
                        special flood hazards.
                    ``(B) Procedure.--An appeal under this paragraph of 
                a determination of the Director shall be made by 
                filing, with the Director, a request for an appeal 
                within 90 days after receiving notice of such 
                determination. Upon receiving the request, the Director 
                shall select, from a list of independent third parties 
                compiled by the Director for such purpose, a party to 
                hear such appeal. Within 90 days after filing of the 
                request for the appeal, such third party shall review 
                the determination of the Director and shall set aside 
                such determination if the third party determines that 
                the grounds under subparagraph (A) exist. During the 
                pendency of an appeal under this paragraph, the 
                Director shall stay the applicability of the rates 
                established pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) or (2), as 
                applicable.
                    ``(C) Effect of final determination.--In an appeal 
                under this paragraph--
                            ``(i) if a final determination is made that 
                        the grounds under subparagraph (A) exist, the 
                        third party hearing such appeal shall make a 
                        determination of how much to reduce the 
                        chargeable risk premium rate for flood 
                        insurance coverage for the property involved in 
                        the appeal from the amount required under 
                        paragraph (1)(B) or (2) and the Director shall 
                        promptly reduce the chargeable risk premium 
                        rate for such property by such amount; and
                            ``(ii) if a final determination is made 
                        that the grounds under subparagraph (A) do not 
                        exist, the Director shall promptly increase the 
                        chargeable risk premium rate for such property 
                        to the amount established pursuant to paragraph 
                        (1)(B) or (2), as applicable, and shall collect 
                        from the property owner the amount necessary to 
                        cover the stay of the applicability of such 
                        increased rates during the pendency of the 
                        appeal.
                    ``(D) Costs.--If the third party hearing an appeal 
                under this paragraph is compensated for such service, 
                the costs of such compensation shall be borne--
                            ``(i) by the owner of the property 
                        requesting the appeal, if the final 
                        determination in the appeal is that the grounds 
                        under subparagraph (A) do not exist; and
                            ``(ii) by the National Flood Insurance 
                        Fund, if such final determination is that the 
                        grounds under subparagraph (A) do exist.
                    ``(E) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the 
                date of the enactment of the Flood Insurance Reform Act 
                of 2003, the Director shall submit a report to the 
                House of Representatives and the Senate describing the 
                rules, procedures, and administration for appeals under 
                this paragraph.
    ``(h) Discretionary Actions in Cases of Fraudulent Claims.--If the 
Director determines that a fraudulent claim was made under flood 
insurance coverage under this title for a severe repetitive loss 
property, the Director may--
            ``(1) cancel the policy and deny the provision to such 
        policyholder of any new flood insurance coverage under this 
        title for the property; or
            ``(2) refuse to renew the policy with such policyholder 
        upon expiration and deny the provision of any new flood 
        insurance coverage under this title to such policyholder for 
        the property.
    ``(i) Funding.--Pursuant to section 1310(a)(8), the Director may 
use amounts from the National Flood Insurance Fund to provide 
assistance under this section in each of fiscal years 2004, 2005, 2006, 
2007, and 2008, except that the amount so used in each such fiscal year 
may not exceed $40,000,000 and shall remain available until expended. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, amounts made 
available pursuant to this subsection shall not be subject to 
offsetting collections through premium rates for flood insurance 
coverage under this title.
    ``(j) Termination.--The Director may not provide assistance under 
this section to any State or community after September 30, 2008.''.
    (b) Availability of National Flood Insurance Fund Amounts.--Section 
1310(a) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4017(a)) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (7), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the following 
        new paragraph:
            ``(8) for financial assistance under section 1362 to States 
        and communities for taking actions under such section with 
        respect to severe repetitive loss properties, but only to the 
        extent provided in section 1362(i); and''.

SEC. 5. AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Standard for Approval of Mitigation Plans.--Section 1366(e)(3) 
of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104(c) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The Director 
may approve only mitigation plans that give priority for funding to 
such properties, or to such subsets of properties, as are in the best 
interest of the National Flood Insurance Fund.''.
    (b) Priority for Mitigation Assistance.--Section 1366(e) of the 
National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104c) is amended by 
striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Priority for mitigation assistance.--In providing 
        grants under this subsection for mitigation activities, the 
        Director shall give first priority for funding to such 
        properties, or to such subsets of such properties as the 
        Director may establish, that the Director determines are in the 
        best interests of the National Flood Insurance Fund and for 
        which matching amounts under subsection (f) are available.''.
    (c) Coordination With States and Communities.--Section 1366 of the 
National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104c) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(m) Coordination With States and Communities.--The Director 
shall, in consultation and coordination with States and communities 
take such actions as are appropriate to encourage and improve 
participation in the national flood insurance program of owners of 
properties, including owners of properties that are not located in 
areas having special flood hazards but are located within the 100-year 
floodplain.''.
    (d) Funding.--Section 1367(b) of the National Flood Insurance Act 
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4104d(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (1) and 
inserting the following new paragraph:
            ``(1) in each fiscal year, amounts from the National Flood 
        Insurance Fund not exceeding $40,000,000;''.

SEC. 6. FEMA AUTHORITY TO FUND MITIGATION ACTIVITIES FOR INDIVIDUAL 
              REPETITIVE CLAIMS PROPERTIES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter I of the National Flood Insurance Act of 
1968 (42 U.S.C. 4011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

          ``grants for repetitive insurance claims properties

    ``Sec. 1323. (a) In General.--General.--The Director may provide 
funding for mitigation actions that reduce flood damages to individual 
properties for which one or more claim payments for losses have been 
made under flood insurance coverage under this title, but only if the 
Director determines that--
            ``(1) such activities are in the best interest of the 
        National Flood Insurance Fund; and
            ``(2) such activities can not be funded under the program 
        under section 1366 because--
                    ``(A) the requirements of section 1366(g) are not 
                being met by the State or community in which the 
                property is located; or
                    ``(B) the State or community does not have the 
                capacity to manage such activities.
    ``(b) Priority for Worst-Case Properties.--In determining the 
properties for which funding is to be provided under this section, the 
Director shall consult with the States in which such properties are 
located and provide assistance for properties in the order that will 
result in the greatest amount of savings to the National Flood 
Insurance Fund in the shortest period of time.''.
    (b) Availability of National Flood Insurance Fund Amounts.--Section 
1310(a) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4017(a)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(9) for funding, not to exceed $10,000,000 in any fiscal 
        year, for mitigation actions under section 1323, except that, 
        notwithstanding any other provision of this title, amounts made 
        available pursuant to this paragraph shall not be subject to 
        offsetting collections through premium rates for flood 
        insurance coverage under this title.''.

SEC. 7. ACTUARIAL RATE PROPERTIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 1308 of the National Flood Insurance Act 
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4015) is amended by striking subsection (c) and 
inserting the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Actuarial Rate Properties.--Subject only to the limitations 
provided under paragraphs (1) and (2), the chargeable rate shall not be 
less than the applicable estimated risk premium rate for such area (or 
subdivision thereof) under section 1307(a)(1) with respect to the 
following properties:
            ``(1) Post-firm properties.--Any property the construction 
        or substantial improvement of which the Director determines has 
        been started after December 31, 1974, or started after the 
        effective date of the initial rate map published by the 
        Director under paragraph (2) of section 1360 for the area in 
        which such property is located, whichever is later, except that 
        the chargeable rate for properties under this paragraph shall 
        be subject to the limitation under subsection (e).
            ``(2) Certain leased coastal and river properties.--Any 
        property leased from the Federal Government (including 
        residential and nonresidential properties) that the Director 
        determines is located on the river-facing side of any dike, 
        levee, or other riverine flood control structure, or seaward of 
        any seawall or other coastal flood control structure.''.
    (b) Inapplicability of Annual Limitations on Premium Increases.--
Section 1308(e) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
4015(e)) is amended by striking ``Notwithstanding'' and inserting 
``Except with respect to properties described under paragraph (2) or 
(3) of subsection (c) and notwithstanding''.

SEC. 8. ELECTRONIC DATABASE OF REPETITIVE LOSS PROPERTIES.

    Section 1364 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
4104a) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Electronic Database of Repetitive Claims Properties.--The 
Director may, if the Director determines such action is feasible, 
establish and maintain a database identifying by location and address 
all repetitive loss structures (as such term is defined in section 
1370) and severe repetitive loss properties (as such term is defined in 
section 1362(b)). If established, the Director shall make the database 
available to the public in a format that may be searched 
electronically. Such a database shall not include any information 
regarding ownership of properties.''.

SEC. 9. REPLACEMENT OF MOBILE HOMES ON ORIGINAL SITES.

    Section 1315 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
4022) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Replacement of Mobile Homes on Original Sites.--
            ``(1) Community participation.--The placement of any mobile 
        home on any site shall not affect the eligibility of any 
        community to participate in the flood insurance program under 
        this title and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 
        (notwithstanding that such placement may fail to comply with 
        any elevation or flood damage mitigation requirements), if--
                    ``(A) such mobile home was previously located on 
                such site;
                    ``(B) such mobile home was relocated from such site 
                because of flooding that threatened or affected such 
                site; and
                    ``(C) such replacement is conducted not later than 
                the expiration of the 180-day period that begins upon 
                the subsidence (in the area of such site) of the body 
                of water that flooded to a level considered lower than 
                flood levels.
            ``(2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
        term `mobile home' has the meaning given such term in the law 
        of the State in which the mobile home is located.''.

SEC. 10. REITERATION OF FEMA RESPONSIBILITY TO MAP MUDSLIDES.

    As directed in section 1360(b) of the National Flood Insurance Act 
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4101(b)), the Director of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency is again directed to accelerate the identification of 
risk zones within flood-prone and mudslide-prone areas, as provided by 
subsection (a)(2) of such section 1360, in order to make known the 
degree of hazard within each such zone at the earliest possible date.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 20, 2003.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.