Thanks to more than 6,800 Illinois REALTORS® who participated in the NAR Call for Action during the last six weeks, Congress extended the National Flood Insurance Program through Nov. 30.

The U.S. Senate voted 86-12 Tuesday in favor of the extension. The U.S. House had approved the bill the previous week.

“We still have some room for improvement, especially in getting some of our larger local associations consistently across that 20 percent participation threshold, but I am incredibly happy with the results,” said Director of Grassroots and Political Programs Neil Malone. “It was a great team effort … from our communications and outreach staffs, to the local GADs, to the local AEs … everyone pitched in to spread awareness.  I am most thankful for the members who took an active role by responding to the call for action and sharing it with their colleagues. This win belongs to them.”

More than 129,000 REALTORS® across the country contacted their legislators, with Illinois, 23 other states and one territory, Puerto Rico, getting more than 20 percent participation.

In Illinois, the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association led the way with 42.62 percent participants. Next was the Champaign County Association of REALTORS® (35.67 percent), followed by the Danville Board of REALTORS® (32.20 percent), the Quincy Association of REALTORS® (32.04 percent), the Three Rivers Association of REALTORS® (31.94 percent), the Illini Valley Association of REALTORS® (31.45 percent), the Livingston County Board of REALTORS®, Inc. (30.43 percent) and the Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® (30.27 percent).

NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall has said that although the NFIP has been extended several times in the last year, reforms need to be considered to make the program sustainable.