Cassidy on Senate Floor: End the Schumer Shutdown, Restore Flood Insurance Stability

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor outlining the harm the Schumer Shutdown is causing daily for the half a million Louisianans enrolled in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Cassidy called on Senate Democrats to work with Republicans to reopen the government, restore stability for homeowners, and end the disruption to NFIP coverage.

"The Democratic Leader said that every day, the shutdown gets better for them. Well, I can tell you that every day the government is shut down gets worse for Americans in my state who are worried about flooding and losing everything.," said Dr. Cassidy.

"Reopen the government. Restore certainty to the American people. Protect homes. Protect families. Protect livelihoods," continued Dr. Cassidy.

Cassidy's remarks as prepared for delivery are below:

Mr. President,

I spoke on this floor a month ago about the consequences of a government shutdown on our country and my state of Louisiana-particularly the half a million Louisianans enrolled in the National Flood Insurance Program-or NFIP.

I called on Senate Democrats to join me and my Republican colleagues in keeping the government open and Congress working.

Unfortunately, the Senate Minority Leader shut down the government nearly a month ago to appease his radical base.

That's nearly a month that many Louisianans on the NFIP have gone without the trust, certainty, and stability that the program is designed to provide.

Families are unable to close on a new home because they can't purchase a new flood insurance policy.

Homeowners are vulnerable during hurricane season because they can't renew existing policies.

And that raises a question the American people are asking every day: how can they trust a government that isn't even open?

We know the NFIP is not perfect. It faces financial challenges. Some reforms are needed. But shutting it down makes the problem worse, not better.

The Democratic Leader said that every day, the shutdown gets better for them.

Well, I can tell you that every day the government is shut down gets worse for Americans in my state who are worried about flooding and losing everything.

The American people want solutions. They want a government that works. They want flood insurance that protects their homes, families, and livelihoods.

That's why I'm working on legislation that would automatically reauthorize the NFIP during any lapse in government funding-in other words, prevent any future shutdown from interrupting the NFIP.

It fixes the damage caused by the Schumer Shutdown and ensures stability going forward.

My colleague from Louisiana and I have introduced two bills-one to extend NFIP in the short term, another to provide a full year of coverage.

We're also working toward broader reforms that keep premiums affordable and the program sustainable for generations to come.

We must reopen the government immediately. Democrats have voted against doing so 13 times.

13 opportunities we have given them to end their shutdown, and they've thrown it back in Americans' faces.

Government services might be on pause, but Hurricane Season isn't.

Reopen the government. Restore certainty to the American people. Protect homes. Protect families. Protect livelihoods.

Republicans are trying to prevent the worst effects of the Schumer Shutdown from taking place, but Democrats keep blocking our efforts.

We want to pay the troops, we want to fund SNAP, we want to extend NFIP.

Democrats are a blanket "NO."

The American People deserve better. They deserve more than the Democratic Party is willing to give them.

With that, I yield.

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