Every year, 30 days from the start of hurricane season, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), urges US residents to prepare their homes and businesses for the heightened flood risks associated with hurricanes and tropical storms.This year, FEMA is placing more urgency on this message due to the expiration of the National Flood Insurance Programme (NFIP) the day before the 2012 hurricane season begins on June 1.FEMA is urging residents to purchase flood insurance now and is stepping up pressure on Congress, warning lawmakers that time is running out to reauthorise the programme.The NFIP, which is seen as key for limiting the costs of natural disasters, is set to expire at the end of May. The programme makes federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters and business owners. It identifies areas of flood risk, encourages communities to mitigate against those risks and provides financial assistance to help individuals recover rapidly from flooding disaster.FEMA is warning that after May 31, NFIP will not be available to issue new policies.“Flood insurance is essential to help protect against the devastating effects of flooding, and the time to act is now,” said David Miller, associate administrator for FEMA’s Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration. “FEMA is urging Congress to reauthorise the NFIP and send a clear signal to citizens, communities, and private sector partners that the federal government will continue to support our nation’s efforts to manage flood risk.”The National Flood Determination Association (NFDA) says the reauthorisation of the NFIP is made more urgent with the imminent onset of a potentially active hurricane season.“Now is the time for Congress to send a message of confidence and certainty to not only the banking and insurance industries, but also to homeowners and business owners as they face the 2012 hurricane season,” said Cheryl Small, president of the NFDA. “A two-year reauthorisation will ensure that valuable flood insurance protection will be continually available to homeowners and business owners while contributing to the nation’s ongoing economic recovery in the form of a stable and active housing market.”The House and Senate were unable to agree on a NFIP reauthorisation last year, and extended the programme without changes until May 31.Congressional representatives hurricane and flood-prone states are pushing for a five-year renewal of the programme.Republican Louisiana Senator David Vitter pleaded to Senate leaders last week: “It’s particularly important in my home state of Louisiana where the risks of flooding, coastal and otherwise, are even greater than the national average.”Senator Vitter says Majority Leader Harry Reid still hasn’t agreed to bring up a five-year extension even though 41 senators signed a bipartisan letter in February pleading to Reid.Democratic Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu believes there is a 60 percent chance Congress will pass a five-year extension this year, but with no action yet and several other items on the Senate schedule, there is a chance the program could lapse again this year.