First Responders, Insurers and Catastrophe Experts Praise House Committee Action
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Calls for Tougher Building Codes
The nation’s leading coalition of first responders, disaster experts, insurers and businesses concerned with preparing and protecting American families and communities from the devastation of natural catastrophes today applauded the recent unanimous approval of the Disaster Response, Recovery and Mitigation Enhancement Act of 2009 (HR 3377) by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
"Protecting American families and communities from the devastation of a massive hurricane, earthquake or other catastrophe will require a comprehensive and integrated solution.Strengthening building codes is an essential first step in forging that solution," said James Lee Witt, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and a co-chair of ProtectingAmerica.org.
"The optimum solution, however, is one that better enables structures to withstand natural events, improves the ability of first responders to react with the training and tools that they need, and assures families that the financial resources will be available to repair, rebuild and recover in the aftermath of a catastrophe," Witt said.
"HR 3377 is an important part of that solution.Chairman Oberstar, ranking member Mica and all of the members of the committee should be commended for advancing this portion of a comprehensive solution," he said.
According to protectingAmerica.org, HR 3377 will be an essential complement to the Homeowners’ Defense Act (HR 2555) which has been endorsed by the White House, sponsored by Rep. Klein of Florida and currently has more than 60 co-sponsors.
The Homeowners’ Defense Act would create a financial backstop to the traditional insurance market that would stand behind privately funded state catastrophe funds and assure American families that the resources would be available to help them repair, rebuild and recover following a truly massive natural event.
Importantly, the Homeowners’ Defense Act provides incentives to promote building code improvements and for enhancements to first responder training and equipment as well as augmented consumer education and better land use planning to help minimize the damages that result from catastrophes.
President Obama, in September of 2008, wrote, "I strongly support the Homeowners' Defense Act. It would stabilize skyrocketing insurance rates and provide a common-sense federal backstop in the event of a major natural disaster. I've long been a supporter of a National Catastrophic Insurance plan, and the time to act is now, before another disaster strikes." [St. Petersburg Times (Fla.), September 7, 2008]
The Homeowners’ Defense Act passed the House of Representatives in the last session of Congress by an overwhelming bi-partisan margin but was not considered in the Senate before the session ended.
ProtectingAmerica.org is a non-profit organization comprised of more than 300 first responder groups, businesses and other non-profits, as well as more than 20,000 individuals who have since 2005 been advocating for a comprehensive solution to better prepare and protect America from catastrophic events.
