FEMA AND FLOOD MAPPING
by Congresswoman Candice S. Miller

Hurricane Katrina was an unparalleled disaster, devastating not only for the victims, but our entire nation, and America responded properly by appropriating unprecedented funds to deal with this catastrophe.

Now, Congress is being asked to raise the amount of money that the FEMA flood insurance program is allowed to borrow from $18.5 billion to $21.2 billion.

At some point though, enough is enough.

I have a very difficult time allocating any additional funds to the FEMA flood insurance program because of the way that program is treating Michigan's 10th Congressional District.

FEMA is currently going about a re-mapping of communities in the district that will bring thousands more citizens into the flood plain.

This will force those with federally guaranteed mortgages to purchase flood insurance.

However, since 1978 the people of Michigan have paid premiums totaling over $138 million. In that same time FEMA has paid out claims totaling less than $38 million.

Since 1978 Michigan has subsidized this program to the tune of $100 million.

Even though the Great Lakes are at historic low levels.

Even though our state has only been paid back 27% of what we had paid in.

Even though only eight states have received a lower percentage of their premiums back in claims.

My district is along the shore of Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and Lake Huron. We also have many rivers and tributaries. They occasionally flood, but not as often as the claims amount shows.

In Michigan we are struggling economically. We have been hit by an economic hurricane of higher energy costs, low cost foreign competition and low cost states, many of which are recipients of the largess of the FEMA flood program.

We also have the highest unemployment in the nation, and our citizens cannot afford to continue to pay higher costs for insurance they don't use. Yet we are being asked once again to subsidize the insurance of other, more flood-prone states.

Before we allow that to happen, FEMA must show the method behind this program and how it makes sense. And until that time, I will not support any expansion of the program.

If you wish to contact Congresswoman Miller you may reach her in Washington, D.C. at 228 Cannon Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; Phone: 202-225-2106; Fax: 202-226-1169. You may also reach her in Michigan at Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township, MI 48317; Phone: 586-997-5010; Fax: 586-997-5013.