Demanding Transparency From FEMA on Rollout of Risk Rating 2.0
This week, I sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell expressing serious concerns regarding the lack of transparency surrounding the agency's rollout of its new NFIP premium rating system, Risk Rating 2.0.
As implementation of Risk Rating 2.0 has already begun, I have heard from families in Southeast Louisiana who will face dramatic premium increases that are just untenable. Since implementation for existing policies under Risk Rating 2.0 will not occur until April 1, 2022, we expect that the concerns we have heard to date will only be echoed by millions more families in the coming months since 80 percent of Louisiana policyholders and 77 percent of policyholders nationally will see premium increases under Risk Rating 2.0.
Louisiana families and families across our nation should not be left holding the bill for FEMA's inability to be transparent about the very system it is already implementing. This is causing tremendous harm to families, and I urge FEMA to take immediate action to provide much needed transparency regarding Risk Rating 2.0 methodology, including how mitigation measures are taken into account, and how individual risk is calculated under this new NFIP rating structure.
Welcoming the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant to Louisiana
Earlier this week, I welcomed Admiral Karl Schultz, the 26th Commandant of the Coast Guard, to Louisiana. We toured the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, and met with local Coast Guard officials who help keep Louisiana and our waters safe.
We also visited Bollinger Shipyard in Lockport to tour and discuss the Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) being built for the Coast Guard. The FRCs help the Coast Guard perform a variety of their missions including coastal security and search and rescue, and I’m proud to have them built in South Louisiana.
Touring NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility
I toured NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility this week to get a firsthand look at the progress being made on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket program, which is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built. The SLS rocket will serve as the base for completing NASA's larger Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
It is an honor to represent you in Congress. For more information, please visit my website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.
