US Senate passes NFIP extension

WASHINGTON, DC (WAFB) - The US Senate voted Tuesday to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The vote was 86-12.

The NFIP was set to expire at 11:59 p.m., which could have been devastating to many in Louisiana in the middle of hurricane season.

"I thank Republicans and Democrats for voting overwhelmingly to keep the National Flood Insurance Program writing policies," said US Sen. Bill Cassidy. "I appreciate Senate leaders listening to my request to move the vote up to today so that no one in Louisiana or the rest of the country is left in the lurch."

"It would have been bone-deep, down-to-the-marrow stupid to let the National Flood Insurance Program expire in the middle of hurricane season, and my colleagues realized that," US Sen. John Kennedy added. "With this extension in place, we can tackle long-term reforms. The last time we truly reformed the NFIP was never. It's about time we did."

The vote extends the program for four months. This is the seventh short-term extension in less than a year.

The four-month extension previously passed in the House of Representatives.

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