WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today introduced four legislative measures aimed at improving the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which covers thousands of homeowners in Mississippi.

“Congress and the Administration have a month left to finish their work on long-term flood insurance program reauthorization,” Wicker said. “I believe the four proposals that I introduced today should be part of those discussions to ensure that Mississippians have access to affordable coverage. They were written in close consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Mississippi Department of Insurance, local officials, industry experts, and constituents. These bills would benefit homeowners, small business owners, and the overall stability of the program.”  

Specifically, the bills would:

• Provide NOAA with technical assistance to expedite implementation of the COASTAL Act and provide better data and information to homeowners (“COASTAL Implementation Act,” S. 2093);
• Deliver relief for small business owners and nonprofits by allowing surcharges to be used for mitigation (“Small Business Surcharge Relief Act,” S. 2091);
• Empower local communities to take an active role in flood mapping (“Municipality Empowerment Mapping Achievement Act,” S. 2090); and
• Provide continuing education for insurance agents to ensure that accurate information about flood policies is being presented to consumers (“Flood Insurance Continuing Education and Training Act,” S. 2092).