This bill, titled the National Flood Insurance Program Clarification Act of 2026, seeks to significantly limit the application of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to various operations within the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to exempt specific administrative actions, such as setting flood insurance rates, identifying flood-prone areas, and establishing land management criteria, from the consultation requirements of ESA Section 7(a). Furthermore, the legislation mandates that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries must withdraw all existing biological opinions evaluating the impacts of the NFIP under the ESA within 30 days, ensuring these opinions have no legal effect and cannot be reissued. Finally, the bill clarifies that criteria for land management and use under the NFIP are to be implemented solely for the purpose of protecting property and human health .
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Finance and Financial Sector
National Flood Insurance Program Clarification Act of 2026
USA119th CongressHR-7862| House
| Updated: 3/9/2026
This bill, titled the National Flood Insurance Program Clarification Act of 2026, seeks to significantly limit the application of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to various operations within the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to exempt specific administrative actions, such as setting flood insurance rates, identifying flood-prone areas, and establishing land management criteria, from the consultation requirements of ESA Section 7(a). Furthermore, the legislation mandates that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries must withdraw all existing biological opinions evaluating the impacts of the NFIP under the ESA within 30 days, ensuring these opinions have no legal effect and cannot be reissued. Finally, the bill clarifies that criteria for land management and use under the NFIP are to be implemented solely for the purpose of protecting property and human health .