Craig Fugate, the administrator of the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (“FEMA”), will testify at a U.S. Senate BankingCommittee hearing regarding increases to flood insurance premiumsunder the National Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”).

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) said that he will bring Mr. Fugatebefore the committee, likely on September 18, 2013.

“Earlier this year, FEMA caused panic in many parishes in southLouisiana in part by predicting future flood insurance rates basedon incomplete and inaccurate maps, and the man in charge ofadministering this program needs to explain the challengesresulting from the implementation of Biggert-Waters,” Vittersaid. “The flawed flood maps put communities affected under thegun, and the result could be that they will have to bear the costof FEMA's mistakes for years to come.”

Vitter said he has three requests for Fugate and the Obamaadministration:

• The President has delayed Obamacare because it's not ready; isFEMA willing to delay Biggert-Waters for at least a year?

• Will FEMA agree to halt releasing new flood insurance ratemaps until issues involving their accuracy, such as those raised byparish officials in Louisiana, are worked out?

• Will FEMA join the Louisiana delegation in proposing its ownadministrative fixes on Biggert-Waters, particularly theaffordability issue?

Vitter has been demanding that FEMA rescind its flood maps inSoutheast Louisiana until mapping issues are resolved, noting thatFEMA currently does not credit non-federal levees when determiningflood risk.

Vitter and Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) have askedPresident Obama not to nominate Fugate to be Secretary of theDepartment of Homeland Security unless and until problems with theNFIP are resolved.

READ: LouisianaSenators Want FEMA Administrator to Stay Until NFIP Rate HikesDelayed