U.S. Senator John Cornyn, along with eight Senate Republican colleagues, has called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to halt Risk Rating 2.0, a policy implemented during the Biden administration that has led to increased flood insurance premiums for homeowners and business owners in Texas. The request was made through a letter addressed to FEMA Acting Administrator David Richardson.
The senators expressed their concerns about the premium hikes under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), stating, “We respectfully ask for your leadership to halt further premium increases under Risk Rating 2.0 and implement much needed transparency from FEMA.” They noted that since the introduction of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums have risen in every state, with FEMA estimating that 77 percent of all NFIP policies now cost more than they did previously.
The lawmakers urged immediate action to prevent further negative impacts on Americans, emphasizing the need to protect homeownership and ensure that the NFIP operates as Congress intended. “We respectfully urge you to act now—before further harm is done—to protect vulnerable Americans, preserve homeownership, and ensure the NFIP fulfills its mission as Congress intended,” they concluded.
Senator Bill Cassidy led this initiative with support from Senators John Kennedy, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Roger Wicker, Shelley Moore Capito, Jim Justice, Katie Britt, and Tommy Tuberville.
Reports indicate that approximately 86% of Texas NFIP policyholders faced monthly premium increases in 2025 due to Risk Rating 2.0. As of August 2023, it was projected that annual NFIP premiums for Texas homeowners would rise by about 53%. Over the past year, around 26,300 Texans have opted out of the NFIP because of these increased costs.
