U.S. Reps. Ed Royce, R-Calif., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore.,have introduced H.R. 6196, or the Repeatedly Flooded Communities PreparationAct, which aims to mitigate the financial resources expended by the National FloodInsurance Program and taxpayers on claims for properties flooded multiple times.

The bill would require communities with a significant numberof structures classified as "repetitive loss properties" by theFederal Emergency Management Agency to map repeatedly flooded properties andpublic infrastructure to determine the specific areas that should be prioritiesfor voluntary buyouts, drainage improvements or other mitigation efforts; todevelop and implement plans for mitigating flood risk in these problem areas;and to submit the plans and reports on progress to FEMA.