This was a vote on a resolution setting a time limit for debate and determining which amendments could be offered to legislation that would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program, which would allow the program to continue operating through fiscal year 2016. (The National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, allows property owners to purchase flood insurance from the federal government.)

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) urged support for the resolution and the underlying bill: “The legislation we are discussing today reauthorizes the NFIP for 5 years through September 30, 2016. The current program is scheduled to expire on September 30 of this year. The last time Congress passed a long-term flood insurance program was in 2004. Since its expiration in 2008, the NFIP has been extended 11 times and lapsed three times during that period. These short-term extensions and lapses create needless uncertainty in the marketplace in an already struggling residential and commercial real estate market all across the United States.”

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), who voted against the resolution but supported the underlying flood insurance bill, said: “…This is one of those rare occasions when the gentleman from Texas [Rep. Sessions] and I actually agree on something. I think the underlying bill is a good bill, and I look forward to supporting it. While this rule is not an open rule [a resolution which allows for unlimited amendments on an underlying bill], and I don't think that we have had an open rule on an authorizing bill since this Congress began, but the gentleman is such a good guy that I'm not going to make a big deal of that. Twenty-five of the 30 amendments that were offered were made in order, so I think we will have a good debate.”

The House agreed to this resolution setting a time limit for debate and determining which amendments could be offered to flood insurance bill by a vote of 269-146. Voting “yea” were 231 Republicans and 38 Democrats. 146 Democrats—including a majority of progressives—voted “nay.” As a result, the House proceeded to formal floor debate on legislation that would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program, which would allow the program to continue operating through fiscal year 2016.