FEMA strongly recommends communities build higher and stronger to reduce vulnerability from flooding during future hurricanes.

FEMA strongly recommends that communities build higher and stronger to reduce vulnerability from flooding during future hurricanes. FEMA provides this kind of advisory information to local governments -- but ultimately it is state and local officials, working with their citizens, who make final decisions on land use and other building code requirements.

We have a responsibility to spend tax money wisely. It makes no sense to rebuild using outdated data.

The rates will reflect this event but they won't go up because of this event alone.

FEMA has a responsibility to protect lives and property, and to ensue that disaster re-building efforts use the best data available. We also have responsibility to ensure that federal tax dollars are spent wisely and cost-effectively. It makes no sense to rebuild using outdated data.

The program doesn't have the ability to pay it back or to service debt of that size.