The National Flood Insurance Program is seen by many lawmakers as vital in the effort to help Louisiana families recover from disaster.

All week long lawmakers in the coastal states have been trying to convince their landlocked colleagues on the hill that a lapse in this program would hurt everyone…not just those who live on the coast.

In fact, Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana, argues that five million Americans rely on this program, and he says in Louisiana it’s as essential as air. 

The program was going to expire, but literally, just hours before that deadline, Kennedy managed to see his six-month extension proposal pass in the Senate. 

Kennedy hopped on a plane back to Louisiana, but his work to make sure his extension passes the house continued. 

“I’ve got a call into speaker Paul Ryan to try to convince him to take the extension up next week. Scalise is helping, and he’s also going to speak to Speaker Ryan,” Kennedy says.

The house had also signed off on a one-week extension, which helps, but lawmakers want more time. 

If Kennedy can convince the house to approve of the six month extension, Kennedy says that’s enough time to come up with a more permanent and more affordable NFIP. 

For now.. the seven day extension passed by the house will serve as a stop-gap measure, to keep the program from lapsing. 

Kennedy says the six month extension, if passed by the house, will give lawmakers the time they need to implement reform.