With the recounts finalizing this week, it’s time to get back to work on advancing the sunshine state, and Representative Neal Dunn has just gotten a big win when the U.S. House passed his “Strengthening Coastal Communities Act” with major support.

Just 1 person voted against it compared to the 375 that did.

Dunn’s office noted that “The Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2018 makes technical corrections to the Coastal Barrier Resources maps that are adversely affecting areas in Bay and Gulf counties. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) was signed into law in 1982 and works to preserve our nation’s barrier islands by barring federal funds and financial assistance from being used there, which therefore disincentivizes development. Dr. Dunn’s legislation maintains these protections for our nation’s barrier islands, while simply providing for more precise digital maps to distinguish the CBRA zones.”

Cosponsors of the bill include Republican Representatives Tom Rooney and Brian Mast, and Dunn took the House floor last week to discuss the importance of his proposal.

In his speech, Dunn argued that “The Coastal Barrier Resources Act, signed into law in 1982, is meant to preserve our nation’s barrier islands by barring federal funds and financial assistance from being used there, which therefore disincentivizes development,” Dunn added. “This bill maintains these protections for our nation’s barrier islands, while simply providing for more precise digital maps to distinguish the CBRA zones.”

Dunn added that “For decades, some of my constituents throughout the 2nd District of Florida have been burdened by being erroneously included in CBRA zones. In some cases, this is due to the width of the pencil marks outlining the boundaries on the original outdated hand drawn maps. This was unacceptable in 1982 – it is simply outrageous in 2018.”

Finally, he concluded by declaring that “Now more than ever, in the wake of one of the most devastating hurricanes in American history, a lack of access to federal resources is particularly debilitating for residents in coastal communities across the Florida Panhandle. This means no Flood Insurance, FEMA assistance, or SBA loans. Being included in a CBRA zone in Florida even precludes the use of money resulting from the BP oil spill in 2010. I’m grateful that this bill will provide a remedy for some folks who are dealing with these unnecessary burdens. I urge my colleagues to support the bill and encourage the Senate to take it up before the end of the Congress.”