House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) formally introduced H.R. 4634 – the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2019 – on October 16 and stated it will be part of an October 29-30 full committee markup.  (Chairwoman Waters at podium, above).  The announcement came before a joint House subcommittee hearing, which focused on the program and a possible fourth reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).  

• “We want to reauthorize [the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act] just as it is,” Waters told CQ Roll Call.  “We’ve got support from the Senate, that’s what the Senate wants to do. And you know it’s not easy for both sides to come together.”  (CQ, Oct. 16)
  
  
• During the Wednesday news conference, Waters stated, “Nearly two decades after TRIA was enacted, TRIA has thankfully never been triggered, and the program is working as intended, effectively protecting our economy from the costs of a terrorist attack and providing security for many of our nation’s hospitals, stadiums, schools and small businesses.”
  
  
• She added, “Without a reauthorization, the program would expire at the end of 2020, but we could experience the harmful effects of a failure to reauthorize as soon as January of 2020. And so, I am pleased to put forth … a bill that provides a ten-year clean reauthorization of TRIA.”  (Committee news release, Oct. 16)
  
  
• TRIA has been extended in 2005, 2007 and again in 2015 – following a 12-day lapse when Congress failed to complete their work on reauthorization at the end of 2014.
  
  
• A long-term, clean TRIA reauthorization is a top priority for The Real Estate Roundtable.  Before the House hearing, the Coalition to Insure Against Terrorism, which includes The Roundtable, wrote to the subcommittees’ leadership in support of H.R. 4634.  (CIAT letter, Oct. 16)

• The Roundtable and nearly 350 companies and organizations also urged Congress on September 17 to swiftly pass a long-term TRIA reauthorization. (Roundtable Weekly, Sept. 20)

• House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Patrick McHenry (R-NC) stated during the Wednesday hearing that Congress should first update TRIA to address cyberterrorism risks. “We've had substantial changes internationally since the last reauthorization.  I want to make sure we do the right thing when it comes to cyber threats, and I don’t believe what we have currently in law is sufficient for that,” said McHenry.  (CQ, Oct. 16)

• In the Senate, TRIA reauthorization was a focus of a June Banking Committee hearing chaired by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID). (Roundtable Weekly, June 21)

• Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer noted during an October 1 podcast episode of “Through The Noise,”, “Businesses and facilities of all types need to see the terrorism risk insurance program extended. This need applies to hospitals, all commercial real estate buildings, educational facilities, sports facilities, NASCAR and theme parks, and really any place where commercial facilities host large numbers of people."

• TRIA will be the focus of an October 30 discussion during The Roundtable’s Fall Meeting with American Property and Casualty Insurance Association President and CEO David Sampson.
  

Chairwoman Waters stated during the news conference that after the late October committee markup of H.R. 4634, “I am committed to bringing the bill to the floor soon afterward, and I will be exploring vehicles for the bill to be attached to.”

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