my name is donna jallick, vice president of harleysville insurance. harleysville is a member of the property casualty property association of america and write your own flood insurance coalition. i have been working with the federal flood program for 15 years. last year, congress allowed the nfip to expire four times for a total of 53 days. there has been ten short term extensions in less than three years. it hurt consumers and millions of real estate professionals, and our business. private write your own ensures have been leaving the program in drones in part the because of the lack of stability in the program and confusion for consumers. when the program lapses, insurers have to decide whether to keep collecting flood premium, and whether we can afford to put our name behind a program that may or may not be continued in the same form by congress. it creates significant liability and vulnerabilities for all stake holders. the lack of program stability also makes it difficult to administer the program and to explain it to consumers. our disconcerning

harleysville and pci stand ready to be of any assistance desired. >> thank you. we recognize mr. rutenberg for five minutes. >> chairman biggert, ranking member gutierrez, members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. my name is barry rutenberg, and i'm a home builders from gainsville, florida and first vice chairman of the board of directors of the national association of home builders. nahb commends the subcommittee for addressing reform the nfip program. builders strongly support a five-year program reauthorization as a best way to provide a steady foundation on which to build program revisions and ensure that nfip is efficient and effective. for several years nfip short-term extensions created a high level of uncertainty in the program causing severe problems in already troubled housing markets. during the periods, there were delays or canceled closings due to the inability to obtain flood insurance for mortgages. often new home construction was shut down or postponed due to the lack of flood insurance approval. adding unneeded delays and job lo

harleysville insurance, harle harleysville, pennsylvania. and last but not least, barry rutenberg, first vice chair, chairman national association of home builders, washington, d.c. welcome to you all. as you heard, i'm sure, if you can limit your testimony to five minutes and after that we'll have the question and answers. so mr. ellis, if you would like to begin for five minutes, you're recognized. >> thank you. good morning, chairman biggert, ranking member gutierrez, members of the subcommittee, i am steve ellis, vice president of taxpayers for common sense, a national nonpartisan budget watchdog. thank you for inviting me here today to testify, but i'd also like to recognize the people who are affected by the tsunami and also how it accentuates the importance of fema and the national flood insurance program flooding. taxpayers for common sense hassed avoluntahas ed av advocated for reform of the nfip. all have recognized nfip is flawed and must be reformed. the question is how. any reauthorization of national flood insurance program mus

harleysville insurance, harle harleysville, pennsylvania. and last but not least, barry rutenberg, first vice chair, chairman national association of home builders, washington, d.c. welcome to you all. as you heard, i'm sure, if you can limit your testimony to five minutes and after that we'll have the question and answers. so mr. ellis, if you would like to begin for five minutes, you're recognized. >> thank you. good morning, chairman biggert, ranking member gutierrez, members of the subcommittee, i am steve ellis, vice president of taxpayers for common sense, a national nonpartisan budget watchdog. thank you for inviting me here today to testify, but i'd also like to recognize the people who are affected by the tsunami and also how it accentuates the importance of fema and the national flood insurance program flooding. taxpayers for common sense hassed avoluntahas ed av advocated for reform of the nfip. all have recognized nfip is flawed and must be reformed. the question is how. any reauthorization of national flood insurance program mus