ICYMI: House Republicans Refuse to Exempt Flood Insurance from Government Shutdown, Leaving Millions Without Coverage During Peak Storm Season

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis: “Families Need Flood Insurance Now – Not After a Storm Hits and It’s Too Late.”

WASHINGTON, DC — As the government shutdown continues, House Republicans have refused to hold a vote on reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), leaving millions of Americans unable to purchase or renew flood insurance as we enter peak storm season. The ongoing lapse represents a catastrophic failure of leadership that is actively stripping away Americans’ primary flood insurance safety net, with thousands of policies expiring each day that Congress fails to act and new homeowners completely shut out from obtaining coverage to protect their homes and livelihoods.

In response, Davante Lewis, Public Service Commissioner for Louisiana’s Third District and Sabotaging Our Safety Advisory Council Member, released the following statement:

“Washington’s refusal to exempt flood insurance from this shutdown is nothing short of negligence against families in Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast who are facing storm season without protection. Instead of ensuring our communities can protect their homes, leaders in DC are doubling down on reckless health care cuts that will raise costs and threaten the hospitals we depend on. If a major storm hits, families won’t just lose their homes; they’ll have nowhere to turn for medical care in the aftermath. Families need flood insurance now – not after a storm hits and it’s too late. This is a catastrophic failure of leadership, and every member of Congress who refuses to reauthorize NFIP is putting our communities at risk.”

This refusal to protect flood insurance comes amid the broader government shutdown, during which Sabotaging Our Safety sounded the alarm on the dangers of allowing NFIP to expire. The lapse adds to President Trump’s systematic dismantling of America’s disaster preparedness infrastructure, following his administration’s proposed cuts to FEMA funding, staffing reductions, rollback extreme weather forecasting, and additional workforce reductions across the federal government. Rather than prioritizing essential disaster coverage, Republican leaders have instead focused on health care cuts that will raise costs and threaten hospitals, compounding the crisis families will face if a major storm strikes.

NFIP serves as the primary flood insurance safety net for nearly 5 million policyholders nationwide. While existing policyholders retain their current coverage during the lapse, they will be unable to renew their policies as they expire, and new policies cannot be issued. 

During the last NFIP lapse in June 2010, an estimated 1,400 home sale closings were canceled or delayed each day, totaling more than 40,000 delayed transactions each month, a preview of the economic devastation this shutdown will inflict on families and communities.

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