US senators return to work Monday after the Easter/Passover recess to take up legislation they couldn’t pass before the break: a temporary extension of the federal flood insurance program and expanded unemployment benefits. … Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Congress will retroactively extend the flood insurance program so that there is no lapse in coverage for affected homeowners. The partisan impasse has drawn sharp attacks from lawmakers from states like Louisiana that depend heavily on the federal flood insurance program. “Families and small businesses across Louisiana depend on the National Flood Insurance Program for flood protection, and lawmakers in Washington need to put aside their partisan differences and work together to get the job done on renewing the flood insurance program,” said Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville.