Flood Insurance Program Will Lapse If Senate Does Not Act

There is not a lot time left to avoid a lapse in the federal government’s flood insurance program.

The Senate is expected to follow the House, which voted last week to temporarily reauthorize the program.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will force a vote before the Tuesday, July 31 expiration date.

But the window is closing and any senator could create a delay in a vote that would mean a lapse in funding for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The House bill reauthorized the program for four months, until Nov. 30, 2018. The measure did not include any reforms to the program.

Despite years of debate and proposals to reform the program, reforms have stalled. Instead, Congress has passed six short-term extensions of the program. Lawmakers also let the program lapse in 2017 and 2018.

During any lapse in authorization, NFIP policies would remain and the NFIP would cover claims if a storm were to strike. But insurance agents could not sell new policies or renew expiring policies.

There are 5 million NFIP policies in force.