Republican lawmakers are exploring reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to better support disaster victims, including those affected by California's wildfires, The Hill reported.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Tuesday that he and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., have been tasked by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., to lead the legislative push. The initiative comes as California grapples with devastating wildfires, which have inflicted losses estimated to exceed $100 billion.
"I just had a talk with Tim Scott," Kennedy told The Hill. "He's asked Mike Rounds and I to put together some legislation dealing not just with flood, but with all catastrophes."
While specific details of the proposed legislation remain unclear, Kennedy emphasized that discussions are in the early stages, with lawmakers' staffs beginning to meet. He also noted plans to collaborate with House counterparts to shape the proposal.
Part of the legislative goal, according to Kennedy, is to improve and possibly expand the NFIP, a federal program that provides flood insurance coverage without relying on taxpayer subsidies.
"The idea is not just to reform the Flood Insurance Program," Kennedy said, "but to try to help victims of fire and wind and hail, catastrophes — and do it without the federal government having to subsidize programs."
Kennedy also told Punchbowl News that he envisioned a "new and different" program covering various disasters, including wind, hail, fire, and flood.
Congress has faced challenges over the years in implementing long-term reforms to the NFIP. Since fiscal year 2017, lawmakers have relied on numerous short-term reauthorizations to keep the program afloat. The current legislative effort represents a renewed push to address broader disaster relief needs.
This initiative comes amid bipartisan discussions regarding emergency disaster aid for California's wildfire recovery. Although the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has assured that it has sufficient resources to respond to the ongoing crisis, the scale of the damage has underscored the need for more comprehensive disaster relief programs.