U.S. Rep. Don Davis addresses reporters at his Goldsboro office on Oct. 7, 2025. (Christine Zhu/NC Newsline)
GOLDSBORO — Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat representing North Carolina’s first congressional district in the eastern part of the state, is asking national leaders to restore access to flood insurance despite the federal government shutdown.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in his Goldsboro office on Tuesday, Davis said the National Flood Insurance Program is essential for the constituents in his coastal district. But the federal government shutdown, which began last Wednesday, keeps North Carolinians from buying or renewing policies.
The NFIP is the country’s largest residential flood-insurance program and provides more than $1.3 trillion in coverage to 4.7 million policyholders nationwide, according to Davis’ office. His staff estimates there are 11,614 NFIP policies in place in North Carolina’s first congressional district, with about $3.22 billion in insured value.
“Many of the communities across eastern North Carolina are rural and lower income, relying even more so on the National Flood Insurance Program,” Davis said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s authority to renew NFIP policies expired at midnight on Sept. 30 due to the government shutdown, Davis said. Although existing policies remain active, FEMA cannot issue new or renewal flood-insurance policies until the shutdown ends.
It’s an issue of concern for residents as hurricane season continues. Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Sept. 27 for what became Hurricane Imelda, lifting it on Monday. A handful of houses in the Outer Banks collapsed from the storm.
“Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, and eastern North Carolina has experienced numerous devastating events — from hurricanes to recurring inland storms,” Davis wrote in a Tuesday letter to U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Tuesday marks almost a week of the shutdown, leading to delays in services and pay for constituents and workers, and spawning partisan attacks over the shutdown’s cause and its consequences.
Davis represents North Carolina’s most competitive seat in the U.S. House. National and state Republicans have issued numerous ads and statements targeting him ahead of the midterm elections in 2026.
The congressman dodged a question from NC Newsline on how long he would continue to vote with his party on shutdown negotiations. He said his priority lies with the families of his district.
“We’ll let politics unfold how they unfold,” Davis said. “My focus is on helping the families of eastern North Carolina, helping them to navigate the shutdown, ideally helping to bring us out of the shutdown.”
On social media, the North Carolina GOP accused Davis of “choosing to side with far-left Washington liberals over his own constituents.”
North Carolina GOP communications director Matt Mercer told NC Newsline that Davis “voted in lockstep” with Democrats in Washington.
“The Davis Democrat Shutdown is jeopardizing paychecks to servicemembers and federal law enforcement while starving programs to help low-income families put food on the table,” Mercer wrote in an email.
There’s a substantial military population in North Carolina, particularly in Davis’ district. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is located in Goldsboro, and Elizabeth City has a Coast Guard Base. Active-duty personnel must carry out their assignments without pay until the shutdown ends, putting economic pressure on those communities.
An Air Force veteran, Davis is one of four members of the state’s congressional delegation who is requesting his pay be withheld for the duration of the shutdown.
“As a member of Congress, I felt compelled to make sure I’m not receiving pay,” he said. “That’s the minimum that I believe that we should do, lead with compassion, and fight passionately here.”
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