Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to be here today for the opportunity to speak on this bipartisan, commonsense bill to provide much-needed modernization and updates of the Coastal Barrier Resources System maps. I thank Chairman Bishop for his work throughout this process, as well as my colleague on the other side of the aisle, my friend, Representative Blunt Rochester, for her work on this issue as well.

The Coastal Barrier Resources Act, signed into law in 1982, is meant to preserve our Nation's barrier islands by barring Federal funds and financial assistance from being used there, which therefore disincentivizes development. This bill maintains these protections for our Nation's barrier islands while simply providing for more precise digital maps to distinguish the CBRA zones.

For decades, some of my constituents throughout the Second District of Florida have been burdened by being erroneously included in the CBRA zones. In some cases, this is due to the width of the pencil marks outlining the boundaries on the original outdated, hand-drawn maps. This was unacceptable in 1982, and it is outrageous in 2018.

Now, more than ever, in the wake of one of the most devastating hurricanes in American history, a lack of access to Federal resources is particularly debilitating for residents in coastal communities across the Florida panhandle. This means no flood insurance, no FEMA assistance, or no SBA loans. Being included in the CBRA zones actually precludes the use of the funds from the BP oil spill in 2010.

I am grateful that this bill will provide a remedy for some people who are dealing with these unnecessary burdens.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I encourage the Senate to take it up before the end of Congress.

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