On Friday, FEMA reversed an earlier decision that had placed the National Flood Insurance Program effectively on “pause,” during the shutdown.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified its insurers on Wednesday that it would not renew flood insurance policies due to the government shutdown. It also cannot sell new insurance policies.
Governor John Bel Edwards issued a statement calling on President Donald Trump and Congress to work together to bring the shutdown to an end, saying, “The real life consequences of the federal government shutdown continues to grow with each passing day.”
Responding to complaints, FEMA reversed course, and will now restart the sale and renewal of flood insurance policies during the shutdown.
Louisiana lawmakers celebrated the move. Senator Bill Cassidy wrote,
“FEMA’s initial (National Flood Insurance Program) guidance made no sense, and I’m happy to announce they are heeding my direction and will start selling new flood insurance policies again. It’s unfortunate so many people were inconvenienced due to FEMA’s error, but I’m glad they are correcting it so home sales in limbo can proceed.”
Congressman Steve Scalise tweeted, “We knew this was the right thing to do, and appreciate the Trump Administration for reversing the initial flawed ruling.”
And Governor John Bel Edwards also tweeted a statement, saying, “This is welcome news for the thousands of homeowners in Louisiana who depend on the National Flood Insurance Program. Thank you @POTUS for recognizing how important this is.”
The Governor had earlier reminded federal authorities of the more than half a million NFIP policies active in Louisiana, with 400,000 renewing each month.
