[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 140 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ACT AUTHORIZATION

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed 
to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 596, H.R. 3485, the 
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act authorization, that the committee 
amendment be agreed to, the bill as amended be deemed read three times, 
passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, that the 
title amendment be agreed to; further, that any statements appear in 
the Record as if read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today, the Senate reaffirms the 
Nation's investment in important Federal technologies designed to 
mitigate the terrible damage that can be caused by earthquakes. As 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space, I am 
pleased to have the Senate consider H.R. 3485, a bill which 
reauthorizes the mitigation activities of the four Federal agencies 
participating in the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program.
  The reauthorization of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Program will support ongoing interagency efforts to develop and apply 
technologies that reduce the loss of life and property due to 
earthquakes. The January 17, 1994, earthquake centered in Northridge, 
CA, serves as an important reminder that catastrophic earthquakes are 
inevitable in the United States. However, compelling evidence 
demonstrates that the lessons learned from the 1989 earthquake in Loma 
Prieta, CA, enabled the program agencies to prepare structures in 
southern California to withstand better the Northridge earthquake.
  The small investment in research and development that we have made 
over the past 17 years in the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Program has yielded tremendous benefits for the 38 States and 3 
territories with significant seismic risks. While California is likely 
to experience major earthquakes, other States such as Alaska, Montana, 
and even West Virginia benefit from the technologies developed under 
the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program to retrofit existing 
structures or construct new ones which will better withstand 
earthquakes.
  H.R. 3485 was passed by the House of Representatives and referred to 
the Senate Commerce Committee on November 16, 1993. The Subcommittee on 
Science, Technology, and Space held a hearing on May 17, 1994, on the 
legislation and the success of technologies developed and transferred 
to localities and the construction industry. On August 11, 1994, the 
Commerce Committee approved a substitute to H.R. 3485.
  H.R. 3485 reauthorizes the earthquake program activities of four 
Federal agencies: the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], U.S. 
Geological Survey [USGS], National Science Foundation [NSF], and 
National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST]. As approved, the 
bill authorizes the program at the President's request for fiscal year 
1995 at $103.2 million and for fiscal year 1996, $106.3 million.
  This bill also requires as assessment of current earthquake 
engineering research and testing capabilities in the United States. 
These shake table facilities have helped engineers develop ways to 
strengthen buildings and other structures during an earthquake. It has 
been 10 years since the last facilities assessment was conducted, and 
great strides have been made during this period in determining the type 
of force generated by different earthquake faults in the United States 
as well as in other countries.
  Technologies developed under the National Earthquake Hazards 
Reduction Program were demonstrated successfully in the Northridge 
earthquake earlier this year. Still, $6 billion was paid out by private 
insurers in addition to $9 billion in Federal assistance. Due to the 
high costs of earthquake damage, it is in all our interests to continue 
supporting national research and technology efforts to mitigate losses.
  I would like to commend Representative George Brown, chairman of the 
Science, Space, and Technology Committee for his leadership in the area 
of earthquake research and his commitment to the National Earthquake 
Hazards Reduction Program. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to join 
me and pass H.R. 3485. I ask that H.R. 3485 be reprinted in its 
entirety and accompany my statement for the Record.
  The bill (H.R. 3484) was deemed read three times and passed.
  The title amendment was amended so as to read: ``To authorize 
appropriations for carrying out the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 
1977 for fiscal years 1995 and 1996.''

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