House Votes to Extend Federal Flood Insurance Program through November 30

The U.S. House of Representatives July 25 voted to extend the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) authorization for four months through November 30 by a bipartisan vote of 366 to 52. The program is set to expire on July 31. House consideration of an NFIP extension had been delayed in recent weeks as House Financial Services Committee Chair Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), whose committee has jurisdiction over NFIP, pushed for Congress to adopt several reforms to NFIP intended to improve its financial health. Hensarling finally relented last week and agreed to have the House consider a "clean" extension of NFIP that included no program changes. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed cloture on the extension Thursday in anticipation of a Senate vote next week. Several Senate Republicans have indicated they may delay consideration of the extension in an effort to get the Senate to consider reforms to NFIP.