Rep. Schor offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 246.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to renew full federal support of residential and business flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.

            Whereas, The National Flood Insurance Program offers flood insurance for homes and other buildings. Under federal law, most homeowners and businesses have no choice and must purchase this insurance if their property is located in a mapped floodplain. For decades, the federal government has provided flood insurance at affordable rates for homes and businesses that were built prior to any official maps warning that construction was occurring in a floodplain; and

            Whereas, The National Flood Insurance Program is now significantly increasing flood insurance premiums. The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 and the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 require premium increases up to 18 percent per year for primary residences and up to 25 percent per year for business properties, second homes, and rental properties; and

            Whereas, Substantial increases in premium rates will disrupt communities and cause economic hardship. Homeowners who cannot afford these increased rates may be forced to sell the home they have lived in for years, potentially at prices lower than what they paid. Business owners will face higher costs that may affect their ability to remain profitable and keep their doors open; and

            Whereas, In many cases, flood insurance rate increases are the result of actions over which home or business owners have no control. Higher stormwater runoff from increased development and a proliferation of impermeable surfaces outside the floodplain, as well as surface water management decisions, have raised peak flood levels. Homes and buildings that previously had little flood risk or history of flooding are now considered a higher risk for flooding and are subject to higher insurance premiums; and

            Whereas, Establishing actuarially sound rates for flood insurance may be important, but federal policy must also be fair to homeowners and businesses. Even with the time they have been given and caps on increases, many homeowners and businesses do not have the ability to earn more or cut back to cover increased premiums. It is simply unfair to correct past fiscally unsound policies at the expense of hardworking homeowners and businesses who had no part in creating those policies and have limited means to pay higher rates; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to renew full federal support of residential and business flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.