[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 6 (Tuesday, February 1, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           SUPPORT URGED FOR NATURAL DISASTER PROTECTION ACT

  (Mr. KNOLLENBERG asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to convey my 
deepest sympathies to the victims of the California earthquake. We in 
Congress have witnessed your plight and I hope we can send relief in a 
timely manner.
  Second, we should pay for disaster relief with spending cuts, rather 
than adding to the Federal deficit. We owe that to the people of 
California and we owe that to the taxpayers of America.
  Finally, we have to view the quake for what it is: A clarion call for 
a smart and equitable disaster policy.
  We simply cannot continue to wait until catastrophe strikes, and then 
haphazardly address the aftermath with a mish-mash of Government 
programs. In the past 10 years, this visionless policy has cost us $22 
billion.
  We need to consider legislation like H.R. 2873, the Natural Disaster 
Protection Act, introduced by Congressman Norm Mineta.
  This initiative would speed up basic relief when it is needed. It 
would give every American living in a disaster-prone area access to a 
sound and affordable system of insurance. And it would limit the 
taxpayers' liability to the costs of disaster relief and recovery.
  The Federal Government will never be able to avert natural disasters, 
but let us at least be ready for them when they happen.

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