While much of the country debates the merits and faults with the unprecedented spending spree that President Obama has embarked upon, few can find fault with one small aspect that could have been a washout had it not been included: An extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

This extension to the plan, which was set to expire on March 11, was included as part of the huge spending bill signed by the president. If not passed and signed, it could have further sent an already shaky economy into a tailspin had there been a major natural disaster — or simply a normal spring flood in rural America.

However, had Congress and the president acted with just a tad more responsibility, they would have instead included the bill that Congress was close to enacting last year, which would have extended coverage for five years. Instead, the new bill extends protection only through September.

So while we can breath a sigh of relief that at least protections are in place for a few months, the fact remains that the issue will again have be revisited this fall.