Sticker shock in the extreme. That would be understating thereaction members of Congress and their staffers exhibited asofficials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency briefed themWednesday on the impact the Biggert-Waters Act will have on floodinsurance premiums going forward.

The briefing, and others held for homeowners in states as farapart as Mississippi, Florida and Vermont, are generating strongreactions from both homeowners and legislators. That is so eventhough 405 members of the House voted for the legislation in June2012.

For example, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Rep. Cedric Richmond(D-La.), who represents New Orleans, issued statements urgingprompt congressional action to delay the rates after the briefing.Congress returns to work next Monday.

State officials estimate that 49% of Louisiana properties thathave flood insurance pay subsidized rates.

”It took FEMA far too long to make this critical informationavailable to communities in Louisiana and across the nation tryingto prepare for the steep rate increases that are scheduled to takeeffect on Oct. 1,” Landrieu said.

Richmond said the briefing was “disheartening.” and“confirms what I, my colleagues, and Louisiana's homeowners havefeared for months.”

“These new rates will indeed have a crippling impact on too manyof Louisiana's homeowners,” he said.

He urged passage of legislation delaying the rate hikes.“Louisianans and homeowners all across the nation desperately needus to address the crisis of flood insurance affordability. Movingforward, I am committed to working with FEMA and members on bothsides of the aisle to find a sustainable, long-term solution,”Richmond said.

The law mandated changes to the flood insurance program designedto phase out subsidies that have kept rates low for insurance onolder homes built before flood maps were redrawn to make themaccurately reflect financial risk.

It required actuarial rates based on risk be phased in over fouryears for second homes, commercial properties and those that havesuffered repeated flood losses effective next year.

It also increases the annual increases most homeowners arecharged from 10% to 20% a year.

FEMA officials say that homeowners who purchased a home in ahigh-risk area after B-W was enacted in July 2012 in most case arepaying the same flood insurance rate as the previous owners.However, according to information FEMA officials provided at thebriefing, homeowners will have to present an elevation certificateto their agents when they renew their policies.

In most cases, they will likely be required to pay much higherrates.

The briefing was one of several the agency has had with stateofficials on the guidelines Write-Your-Own Companies will usestarting Oct. 1 in computing premiums homeowners and businesseswill pay for flood insurance in new policies.