National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2711
Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]
Introduced: 2004-07-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Building construction
Building laws
Building materials
Commerce
Computer simulation
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction industries
Department of Commerce
Department of Homeland Security
Engineering
Executive reorganization
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal advisory bodies
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Housing and Community Development
Hurricanes
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Meteorological research
Meteorology
National Science Foundation
Planning
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research
Research and development
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Storms
Technology transfer
Tornadoes

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: 
National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 - Establishes the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program to achieve major measurable reductions in losses of life and property from windstorms.
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (the Director) to establish an Interagency Working Group consisting of representatives of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other Federal agencies as appropriate. Outlines general agency responsibilities.
 
Requires the Program to consist of the following primary mitigation components: (1) improved understanding of windstorms; (2) windstorm impact assessment; and (3) windstorm impact reduction, which shall be implemented through activities such as data collection and analysis and research and development. Requires research activities authorized under this Act to be peer-reviewed and the components to be designed to be complementary to and avoid duplication of other hazard reduction efforts.
 
Requires the Working Group to: (1) develop an implementation plan for achieving Program objectives; and (2) transmit biennial reports on the status of the Program.
 
Requires the Director to establish a National Advisory Committee on Windstorm Impact Reduction to assess: (1) trends and developments in the science and engineering of windstorm impact reduction; (2) the effectiveness of the Program in carrying out specified activities to improve windstorm impact assessment; (3) revising the Program; and (4) implementation and management of the Program. Requires the Advisory Committee to report biennially on such assessment.
 
Declares that, the Secretary of Commerce, the NIST Director, the Director, and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies carrying out activities under this Act and the statutes amended by this Act shall work together to ensure that research, technologies, and response techniques are shared among the programs authorized in this Act in order to coordinate the Nation's efforts to reduce vulnerability to the hazards described in this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8560)
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: Introduced in Senate