Date: 2014-07-14
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. as a senior member of the Home and Security Committee. I rise in support of H.R. 1786. the "National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2014." I want to thank Chairman SMITH and Ranking Member EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker. Houston is vulnerable to hurricanes that traverse the Gulf of Mexico and we have experienced powerful storms during the past decade. Hurricane Ike heavily impacted Houston and nearby city of Galveston in 2008. causing $27.8 billion in damage. and killing 20. Tropical storms in Texas are also known for being heavy rain producers as well as wind surge threats. For example. tropical storm Allison in 2001 dumped as much as 35 to 40 inches of rain. killing 41 people and causing $9 billion in damage. We are currently in the 2014 hurricane season and forecasters are expecting one to two major hurricanes. This bill amends the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 to revise provisions governing the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP) as well as designates the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as the entity with primary responsibility for Program planning and coordination. Congress. under the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004. designated four agencies to compromise the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). and National Science Foundation (NSF) The federal agencies which compromised the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Windstorm Impact Reduction will have the following respective responsibilities. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will have the primary responsibility for planning and coordinating the program. carry out research and development to improve model building codes. voluntary standards. and best practices for the design. construction. and retrofit of buildings. structures. and lifelines. The National Science Foundation (NSF) will support research in engineering and atmospheric sciences and economic and social factors influencing windstorm risk reduction measures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will support atmospheric sciences research to improve the understanding of the behavior of windstorms and their impact on buildings. structures. and lifelines. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will support the development of risk assessment tools and effective mitigation techniques. conduct public outreach and information dissemination. and promote the adoption of windstorm preparedness and mitigation measures. The bill will also require the Committee to submit a progress report to Congress and to develop a coordinated budget for the Program which must be submitted at the time of the Presidents annual budget submission. Finally. the bill allows the Director of NIST to establish an Advisory Committee on Windstorm Impact Reduction which shall be composed of at least 7 members. This advisory committee will offer assessments and practices of wind storm impact mitigation. This coordinated effort will greatly increase the efficiency and effectiveness of federal efforts to save lives in Houston and around the country as well as mitigate property loss. The reasons for supporting this bill are obvious. and I ask my colleagues in the House to vote for its passage.