Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) issued this statement after voting against H.R. 2874, the 21st Century Flood Reform Act, which would increase costs for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders and pass the burden on to homeowners and local governments:

“Florida is ground zero for climate change, between rising sea levels pushing higher tides inland and worsening storms and hurricanes dumping huge amounts of water across the state. Floridians contribute the most of any state to the NFIP program, and we need a sensible flood insurance program that will actually protect us from the exorbitant costs of flooding. We need a plan that will lower the cost of flood insurance and make more policies available. Instead, House Republicans offered a plan that will raise rates for NFIP policyholders and place a larger burden on local governments. Our flooding program desperately needs updating, but I cannot support this partisan bill that ignores the realities on the ground.” 

Broward County and Coconut Creek have expressed their opposition to the legislation.