[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13872]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Al Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I pose the question: Why do 
many people--too many--how many is too many?
  The number that can have an adverse impact.
  Why do too many people--not all--why do too many people deny the 
existence of circumstances that can have an invidious impact upon 
society? Why?
  Why would people deny that there is a link between smoking and 
cancer?
  Why would people deny that invidious discrimination existed when 
there were laws on the books that encouraged invidious discrimination?
  Why would people deny the existence of climate change with all of the 
empirical evidence available to us to peruse and scrutinize? Why? Why, 
Mr. Speaker?
  Because if you deny it, you don't have to do anything about it. If 
you deny the linkage between smoking and cancer, you don't have to do 
anything about it. If you deny the links between invidious 
discrimination and the impact on persons who are discriminated against, 
you don't have to do anything about it. If you deny that climate change 
exists, that there is something going on, then you don't have to do 
anything about it.
  Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding denials, we have to acknowledge that, as 
of late, in Houston, Texas, we have had three major events--three major 
hurricanes--to have to cope with. And these three major events, while 
there may be some debate about whether they are 100-year floods or 500-
year floods, everybody agrees that they are billion-dollar floods, 
plus, I might add, because the empirical evidence is there to support 
it.
  With all of these hurricanes that are traversing the Atlantic Ocean 
and coming into landfall here in the United States, the frequency of 
them has to get our attention. So whether you think it is climate 
change or whether you think that these are acts of God--and the law 
recognizes such language--or whether you just can't explain it but you 
recognize that it is occurring, I think we have to do something about 
what is going on.
  Mr. Speaker, we can no longer assume that the old normal is going to 
apply to our circumstances. There is a new normal that we have to cope 
with, and this new normal has much to do with how we will provide for 
the welfare and safety of the people of the United States of America.
  How will we approach flood insurance?
  The National Flood Insurance Program is in debt that we acknowledge 
to the tune of $24.6 billion. That is what we acknowledge. But after 
Harvey and after what has happened recently in Florida and in the 
islands, Mr. Speaker, that number is going up exponentially.
  If we are of the opinion that there is no climate change, this is 
just sort of a freak of nature that is occurring right now and things 
will go back to the old normal and we just stay with that, then we 
won't take the necessary steps to provide flood insurance that is going 
to cover people so that they are not lost in a storm of red tape and 
bureaucracy.
  We have to change the dynamics that relate to flood insurance in this 
country. We have to find a way to allow that $24.6 billion that is 
going to go up exponentially to be properly resolved. It has to be 
eliminated.
  Here is why: If you pass that on to the policyholders, then many 
people will not be able to afford flood insurance. If people can't 
afford flood insurance, then they are not going to be able to buy 
homes. If they can't buy homes, then we are going to have an impact on 
the economy.
  I believe, Mr. Speaker, that it is time for us to do several things 
with flood insurance. One, resolve the issue of when versus flood as it 
relates to compensation for damages. Two, eliminate the debt. And, 
finally, I would say this: We have to, whether we like it or not, 
acknowledge that there is a new normal, especially after what has 
happened in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and the territories.
  I would also want to be specific about Puerto Rico and the Virgin 
Islands. Our prayers and thoughts are with them just as they are with 
those persons in Florida who have been harmed and the many persons 
across Texas, Louisiana, and other States.
  This is our moment in time. This is our opportunity to make a 
difference. Let's acknowledge the change and make a change.

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