Business group pushes for U.S. flood insurance reform as December deadline loomsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The latest attempt to overhaul the U.S. federal flood insurance program hit a stumbling block, but a coalition of business and environmental groups renewed their push on Wednesday for lawmakers to enact an overhaul before the program expires on Dec. 8. The SmarterSafer coalition sent a letter to members of the U.S. House urging passage of the compromise legislation that would extend to 2022 the federal program that has been heavily utilized after vast flooding from hurricanes Harvey and Irma. “This legislative package moves the flood program in the right direction and contains needed reforms that will better protect those in harm’s way, the environment, and taxpayers,” the letter states, according to a copy seen by Reuters.  The hurdle came with the House Rules Committee indefinitely postponed a hearing on the bill that was scheduled for Tuesday night. “Clearly they’re trying to make sure they’ve got all their ducks in a row and they’ve got all the votes they need,” said Steve Ellis, with the conservative group Taxpayers for Common Sense, which is part of a coalition pushing for reform of the program.  Joshua Saks, the legislative director of the National Wildlife Federation, said one of the shortcomings of the compromise is that it does not ensure that the money for flood mitigation projects will ever be spent.  “We need an Apollo project of mitigation right now, we need billions right now up front,” Saks said, referring to the project that put a man on the moon. Two prominent Republican members of the U.S. House announced last week they had struck a deal that would extend the life of the program that covers most of the nation’s flood-prone properties. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling of Texas brokered the compromise and said the deal helps policy holders and taxpayers. Last month, President Donald Trump signed a $36.5 billion disaster relief bill, including $16 billion in forgiveness of some debt in the National Flood Insurance Program, which insures about 5 million homes and businesses. politicsNews
business group pushes flood insurance reform december deadline loomswashington reuters the latest attempt overhaul federal flood insurance program hit stumbling block coalition business environmental groups renewed push wednesday lawmakers enact overhaul program expires the smartersafer coalition sent letter members house urging passage compromise legislation would extend federal program heavily utilized vast flooding hurricanes harvey irma this legislative package moves flood program right direction contains needed reforms better protect harm way environment taxpayers letter states according copy seen reuters the hurdle came house rules committee indefinitely postponed hearing bill scheduled tuesday night clearly trying make sure got ducks row got votes need said steve ellis conservative group taxpayers common sense part coalition pushing reform program joshua says legislative director national wildlife federation said one shortcomings compromise ensure money flood mitigation projects ever spent we need apollo project mitigation right need billions right front says said referring project put man moon two prominent republican members house announced last week struck deal would extend life program covers nation properties house majority whip steve scale louisiana house financial services committee chairman jeb hensarling texas brokered compromise said deal helps policy holders taxpayers last month president donald trump signed billion disaster relief bill including billion forgiveness debt national flood insurance program ensures million homes businesses politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Business group pushes for U.S. flood insurance reform as December deadline loomsWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The latest attempt to overhaul the U.S. federal flood insurance program hit a stumbling block, but a coalition of business and environmental groups renewed their push on Wednesday for lawmakers to enact an overhaul before the program expires on Dec. 8. The SmarterSafer coalition sent a letter to members of the U.S. House urging passage of the compromise legislation that would extend to 2022 the federal program that has been heavily utilized after vast flooding from hurricanes Harvey and Irma. “This legislative package moves the flood program in the right direction and contains needed reforms that will better protect those in harm’s way, the environment, and taxpayers,” the letter states, according to a copy seen by Reuters.  The hurdle came with the House Rules Committee indefinitely postponed a hearing on the bill that was scheduled for Tuesday night. “Clearly they’re trying to make sure they’ve got all their ducks in a row and they’ve got all the votes they need,” said Steve Ellis, with the conservative group Taxpayers for Common Sense, which is part of a coalition pushing for reform of the program.  Joshua Saks, the legislative director of the National Wildlife Federation, said one of the shortcomings of the compromise is that it does not ensure that the money for flood mitigation projects will ever be spent.  “We need an Apollo project of mitigation right now, we need billions right now up front,” Saks said, referring to the project that put a man on the moon. Two prominent Republican members of the U.S. House announced last week they had struck a deal that would extend the life of the program that covers most of the nation’s flood-prone properties. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling of Texas brokered the compromise and said the deal helps policy holders and taxpayers. Last month, President Donald Trump signed a $36.5 billion disaster relief bill, including $16 billion in forgiveness of some debt in the National Flood Insurance Program, which insures about 5 million homes and businesses. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: business group pushes flood insurance reform december deadline loomswashington reuters the latest attempt overhaul federal flood insurance program hit stumbling block coalition business environmental groups renewed push wednesday lawmakers enact overhaul program expires the smartersafer coalition sent letter members house urging passage compromise legislation would extend federal program heavily utilized vast flooding hurricanes harvey irma this legislative package moves flood program right direction contains needed reforms better protect harm way environment taxpayers letter states according copy seen reuters the hurdle came house rules committee indefinitely postponed hearing bill scheduled tuesday night clearly trying make sure got ducks row got votes need said steve ellis conservative group taxpayers common sense part coalition pushing reform program joshua says legislative director national wildlife federation said one shortcomings compromise ensure money flood mitigation projects ever spent we need apollo project mitigation right need billions right front says said referring project put man moon two prominent republican members house announced last week struck deal would extend life program covers nation properties house majority whip steve scale louisiana house financial services committee chairman jeb hensarling texas brokered compromise said deal helps policy holders taxpayers last month president donald trump signed billion disaster relief bill including billion forgiveness debt national flood insurance program ensures million homes businesses politicsnews