I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1786 
To reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 26, 2013 
Mr. NEUGEBAUER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the National Windstorm Impact Reduction 
Program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Windstorm 
Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 203(1) of the National Windstorm Impact 
Reduction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15702(1)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
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nology Policy’’ and inserting ‘‘Director of the National In-
stitute of Standards and Technology’’. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 204 of the National Windstorm Impact Re-
duction Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 15703) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Na-
tional Windstorm Impact Reduction Program, the purpose 
of which is to achieve major measurable reductions in the 
losses of life and property from windstorms through a co-
ordinated Federal effort, in cooperation with other levels 
of government, academia, and the private sector, aimed 
at improving the understanding of windstorms and their 
impacts and developing and encouraging the implementa-
tion of cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce those 
impacts. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROGRAM AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) LEAD AGENCY.—The National Institute of 
Standards and Technology shall have the primary 
responsibility for planning and coordinating the Pro-
gram. In carrying out this paragraph, the Director 
shall— 
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‘‘(A) ensure that the Program includes the 
necessary components to promote the imple-
mentation of windstorm risk reduction meas-
ures by Federal, State, and local governments, 
national standards and model building code or-
ganizations, architects and engineers, and oth-
ers with a role in planning and constructing 
buildings and lifelines; 
‘‘(B) support the development of perform-
ance-based engineering tools, and work with ap-
propriate groups to promote the commercial ap-
plication of such tools, including through wind- 
related model building codes, voluntary stand-
ards, and construction best practices; 
‘‘(C) request the assistance of Federal 
agencies other than the Program agencies, as 
necessary to assist in carrying out this Act; 
‘‘(D) coordinate all Federal post-windstorm 
investigations; and 
‘‘(E) when warranted by research or inves-
tigative findings, issue recommendations to as-
sist in informing the development of model 
codes, and provide information to Congress on 
the use of such recommendations. 
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‘‘(2) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND 
TECHNOLOGY.—In addition to the lead agency re-
sponsibilities described under paragraph (1), the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology shall 
be responsible for carrying out research and develop-
ment to improve model building codes, voluntary 
standards, and best practices for the design, con-
struction, and retrofit of buildings, structures, and 
lifelines. 
‘‘(3) NATIONAL
SCIENCE
FOUNDATION.—The 
National Science Foundation shall support research 
in engineering and the atmospheric sciences to im-
prove the understanding of the behavior of wind-
storms and their impact on buildings, structures, 
and lifelines. 
‘‘(4) NATIONAL
OCEANIC
AND
ATMOSPHERIC 
ADMINISTRATION.—The National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration shall support atmospheric 
sciences research to improve the understanding of 
the behavior of windstorms and their impact on 
buildings, structures, and lifelines. 
‘‘(5) 
FEDERAL
EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT 
AGENCY.—The Federal Emergency Management 
Agency shall support the development of risk assess-
ment tools and effective mitigation techniques, wind-
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storm-related data collection and analysis, public 
outreach, information dissemination, and implemen-
tation of mitigation measures consistent with the 
Agency’s all-hazards approach.’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (c); 
(3) by inserting after subsection (c), as so re-
designated, the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON 
WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an 
Interagency Coordinating Committee on Windstorm 
Impact Reduction, chaired by the Director. 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—In addition to the chair, 
the Committee shall be composed of— 
‘‘(A) the heads of— 
‘‘(i) the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency; 
‘‘(ii) the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration; 
‘‘(iii) the National Science Founda-
tion; 
‘‘(iv) the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy; and 
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‘‘(v) the Office of Management and 
Budget; and 
‘‘(B) the head of any other Federal agency 
the chair considers appropriate. 
‘‘(3) MEETINGS.—The Committee shall meet 
not less than 2 times a year at the call of the Direc-
tor of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology. 
‘‘(4) GENERAL
PURPOSE
AND
DUTIES.—The 
Committee shall oversee the planning and coordina-
tion of the Program. 
‘‘(5) STRATEGIC PLAN.—The Committee shall 
develop and submit to Congress, not later than one 
year after the date of enactment of the National 
Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 
2013, a Strategic Plan for the Program that in-
cludes— 
‘‘(A) prioritized goals for the Program that 
will mitigate against the loss of life and prop-
erty from future windstorms; 
‘‘(B) short-term, mid-term, and long-term 
research objectives to achieve those goals; 
‘‘(C) a description of the role of each Pro-
gram agency in achieving the prioritized goals; 
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