Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act of 2008

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6109, which reauthorizes the successful Pre-Disaster Mitigation program for the next 3 years. The Pre-Disaster Mitigation program was originally authorized by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 as a pilot program to study the effectiveness of mitigation grants given to communities before disaster strikes. Prior to the creation of the Pre-Disaster Mitigation program, hazard mitigation primarily occurred after a disaster through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Every disaster costs us in damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure, and potentially in the loss of lives.

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation program prevents damage and destruction by helping communities to act proactively through projects that reduce the cost and limit the adverse impacts of future disasters.

With FEMA's assistance, local governments identify cost-effective mitigation projects, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Since its inception, mitigation programs have helped local communities save lives and reduce property damage through a wide range of mitigation projects, such as home elevations, buyouts, improved shelters and warning systems.

In 2005, the National Institute of Building Sciences issued a study that conclusively demonstrated Federal mitigation programs saved the Federal Government money. Specifically, the study found that for every dollar spent on mitigation, the American taxpayer saves over $3 in Federal disaster payments.

Mitigation projects also are intended to save lives, and this year's record tornado season underscores the importance of lifesaving warning sirens. Given the tremendous destructive power of tornadoes, you can't mitigate against property damage, but you can mitigate the loss of life with a warning system. I particularly want to thank Chairwoman NORTON for including report language clarifying that Congress intended tornado warning sirens to be funded in this program.

At this point I would like to read a paragraph from the committee report on this subject:

``The Committee notes the clear purpose of the Pre-Disaster Mitigation program to reduce injuries, loss of life, and damage to property from natural disasters and the program's broad statutory authority to provide Federal assistance for projects, such as tornado warning sirens, which serve this purpose. Given the sudden nature and extreme destructive power of tornadoes, the Committee believes warning sirens are a cost-effective measure for mitigating injuries and loss of life from tornadoes. The Committee believes that Section 203 of the Stafford Act clearly authorizes mitigation assistance for tornado warning sirens.''

I believe this language makes it perfectly clear that Congress intended tornado warning sirens to be an eligible project under the Pre-Disaster Mitigation program and Congress expects the Federal Emergency Management Agency to administer the program accordingly.

In conclusion, mitigation works. It saves lives, limits future damage, and reduces Federal disaster costs. The Pre-Disaster Mitigation program is a worthy program, and I look forward to working with Chairwoman NORTON to reauthorize it this year.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source