House and Senate supporters of legislation to modify 2012's NFIPreform law held a meeting Oct 1 to “build momentum” for promptaction to ease the impact of rate increases on affectedhomeowners.

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., joined six other senators at a middaypress conference Tuesday to support a “comprehensive legislativepackage” aimed at “delaying, amending or significantly modifying”the Biggert-Water Flood Insurance Reform Act that passed lastyear.

In some cases, the law mandates increases in flood insurance ofup to 3,000 percent for policies written by the National FloodInsurance Program.

The press conference added more drama to a day that began with agovernment shutdown. According to various officials, the shutdownhas resulted in the furloughing of 800,000 employees andcontinuation of work with no commitment as to when they will bepaid for 1 million more federal workers.

Joining Landrieu were Sens. David Vitter, R-La., Bill Nelson,D-Fla., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., John Hoeven,R-N.D., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J.

“Our message is very clear today: The government may be in theprocess of shutting down, but my colleagues and I have our eyes onfinding a solution for the 5 million Americans—and almost 500,000Louisianans—who have flood-insurance policies that are facingsignificant rate increases today,” Landrieu said.

“Our flood-insurance program is not functioning the way itshould and is putting a great number of people at risk,” Landrieusaid.

Landrieu and Nelson also confirmed that they had sought to addan amendment to the Senate version of a continuing resolutiondealing with flood insurance aimed at keeping the governmentrunning

The amendment would have delayed rate increases underBiggert-Waters for one year. While she is committed to a morecomprehensive solution, Landrieu said she believes “immediate raterelief is needed while Congress continues to debate differentlegislative solutions.”

However, a member of the Senate leadership, Sen. CharlesSchumer, D-New York, acknowledged that action on any legislationmodifying the 2012 law is unlikely to be taken up by Congress untilNovember.

In the House, 73 members called on leadership of both parties“to take immediate action” to address affordability issuessurrounding the NFIP.

The letter was spearheaded by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., anamed member of the law in question. She is ranking minority memberof the House Financial Services Committee. Another key supporter isRep. Bill Cassidy, R-La. He is running for Landrieu's Senateseat.

The letter calls for the House to provide relief toflood-insurance policyholders currently facing excessive rateincreases by urging leadership to add a provision to anyappropriate legislative vehicle. In July, this provision–thenoffered as an amendment to the Homeland Security Funding Bill –received broad bipartisan support with over 280 House Membersvoting in favor of it, the letter notes.