Rep. Ezell blames shutdown for flood insurance lapse. Here’s what really happened

The National Flood Insurance Program has lapsed, putting at risk properties without coverage during hurricane season, which doesn’t end until Nov. 30.

U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell has introduced a bill to renew the program through December 2026. Without the bill, a news release from his office says, property owners are unable to buy or renew flood insurance policies. Ezell’s bill also would prevent those whose policies expire from being charged drastically higher prices as new customers.

“This lapse threatens tens of thousands of Mississippi families, delays home closings, and leaves homeowners uninsured in the middle of hurricane season,” Ezell said in the news release. “It also punishes families already struggling with rising premiums, potentially wiping out years of progress toward affordable coverage.”

Ezell blamed the lapse on the government shutdown, but the program expired because Congress failed to renew it by a Sept. 30 deadline included in the last reauthorization in March. The National Association of Realtors says that during NFIP lapses most lending institutions suspend flood-insurance requirements for properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas.

Congress authorizes NFIP for only short periods

Since the end of 2017, Congress has reauthorized the debt-ridden NFIP 33 times, a government website shows. The program has previously lapsed three times since the end of 2017, the longest stretch being for two days.

Ezell’s NFIP Retroactive Renewal and Reauthorization Act would restore the NFIP retroactively and extend it through December 2026.

“Because Congress failed to meet the Sept. 30 deadline to pass a spending measure that included an extension of National Flood Insurance Program authority, homeowners in high-flood-risk areas and those looking to purchase homes may be forced to proceed to closing without flood insurance,” the Realtors Association said in a statement at Realtor Magazine Media. “This creates significant uncertainty in the event of a flood, including whether coverage will be available and if sufficient FEMA funds will be accessible to pay claims.”

This story was originally published October 29, 2025 at 3:06 PM.

Anita Lee

Sun Herald

601-909-0638

Anita, a Mississippi native, graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and previously worked at the Jackson Daily News and Virginian-Pilot, joining the Sun Herald in 1987. She specializes in in-depth coverage of government, public corruption, transparency and courts. She has won state, regional and national journalism awards, most notably contributing to Hurricane Katrina coverage awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service. Support my work with a digital subscription