[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 29, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE FLOOD INSURANCE FOR FARMERS ACT OF 2019

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 29, 2019

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the ``Flood Insurance 
for Farmers Act of 2019,'' with my colleague Congressman Doug LaMalfa 
(R-CA). This bipartisan bill builds upon the ``Flood and Agriculture 
Risk Management (FARM) Cost Reduction Act of 2017'' and legislation I 
sponsored in the 114th Congress.
  The ``Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2019'' would provide access 
to discounted rates under the National Flood Insurance Program to 
families who have farmed the Sacramento Valley floodplain for 
generations. This will help keep agricultural land in production, which 
is the best way to push back against irresponsible subdivisions in the 
floodplain that place lives at risk and force farms onto the auction 
block.
  Under current law, areas designated by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) as ``Special Flood Hazard Areas'' require that 
all new, expanded, or repaired structures be raised above potential 
flood level. In much of the Sacramento Valley, this would require 
raising barns and silos upwards of 10 feet, which is cost prohibitive 
for many farmers or simply inconsistent with continued agricultural 
land use.
  Currently, FEMA assumes there is zero protection if a levee does not 
meet the federally mandated 100-year level of flood protection and 
charges full-cost rates under the National Flood Insurance Program. 
This effectively precludes Sacramento Valley farmers from making 
capital improvements on their operations or securing the necessary 
financing for such capital improvements. Our bipartisan bill would lift 
this de facto federal prohibition on new construction and repairs of 
agricultural structures in high flood-risk areas designated by FEMA.
  Specifically, the ``Flood Insurance for Farmers Act'' would direct 
FEMA to develop a new flood mapping zone for basins in the Sacramento 
Valley and elsewhere nationwide protected by levees that do not 
currently meet the federally mandated 100-year level of flood 
protection. Rates charged under the National Flood Insurance Program in 
this new flood zone would be based on actuarial risk. This means that 
if levees provide a 50-year level of flood protection, FEMA would 
charge rates based on that discounted risk level. This ensures that 
farming families can get more affordable flood insurance that reflects 
the levees they pay to upkeep.
  The ``Flood Insurance for Farmers Act'' is endorsed by the California 
Rice Commission, USA Rice Federation, American Farm Bureau Federation, 
California Farm Bureau Federation, Sacramento County Farm Bureau, Yuba-
Sutter Farm Bureau, Yolo County Farm Bureau, California Cattlemen's 
Association, Dairy Institute of California, and the Sutter Butte Flood 
Control Agency.
  I thank Congressman LaMalfa for his support as the bill's original 
cosponsor and look forward to continuing to work together on this 
critical issue for Sacramento Valley farmers. I also want to thank all 
the California-based and national organizations that have endorsed the 
bill, to date.
  Madam Speaker, I hope that Congress will include the ``Flood 
Insurance for Farmers Act'' in any reauthorization of the National 
Flood Insurance Program. I urge all Members to join me and Congressman 
LaMalfa in cosponsoring this important legislation for American 
farmers.

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