WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today voted to pass a bill to keep the government open until December 20th, 2024. Cassidy has urged Congress to extend the authorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and secure additional funding for disaster relief following Hurricane Francine.
“Nobody wants a shutdown. We must keep the National Flood Insurance Program going, put more money into FEMA’s disaster relief fund, continue to pay our troops, and give the Secret Service additional resources to protect President Trump. While I’m disappointed the SAVE Act was not included, this bill gives us the time to find a lasting solution without harming Americans,” said Dr. Cassidy.
Background
Cassidy spoke on the Senate floor last week about the need to reauthorize and reform NFIP. That speech was the sixth installment of a series of Senate floor speeches Cassidy is using to focus attention on unsustainable flood insurance premiums.
In January, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on NFIP at the request of Cassidy. The hearing highlighted the urgent need for Congress to act and featured a Louisiana witness. Cassidy also participated in a roundtable hosted by GNO, Inc. and the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance before introducing the bill to hear from community leaders and advocates on the issue. Last year, Cassidy traveled St. Bernard Parish to talk with residents about their flood insurance premiums, resulting in the second episode of his series Bill on the Hill.
Earlier this month, President Biden approved a disaster declaration in the wake of Hurricane Francine. Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, and Terrebonne Parishes were all covered by the declaration.
Following the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, Cassidy and seven Senate Republican colleagues called for President Trump to receive the same level of Secret Service protection as a sitting president.
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