[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   CONCURRING IN SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 3485, EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS 
   REDUCTION ACT AUTHORIZATION FOR FISCAL YEARS 1994, 1995, AND 1996

  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 3485) to authorize 
appropriations for carrying out the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 
1977 for fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate amendments:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 12 of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 
     (42 U.S.C. 7706) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(7)--
       (A) by inserting ``of the Agency'' after `'to the 
     Director'';
       (B) by striking ``and'' after ``September 30, 1992,''; and
       (C) by inserting ``, $25,000,000 for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1995, and $25,750,000 for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1996'' after ``September 30, 1993'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' after ``September 30, 1992;''; and
       (B) by inserting ``; $49,200,000 for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 1995; and $50,676,000 for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1996'' after ``September 30, 1993'';
       (3) by adding at the end of subsection (c) the following 
     new sentence: ``There are authorized to be appropriated, out 
     of funds otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the 
     National Science Foundation: (1) $16,200,000 for engineering 
     research and $10,900,000 for geosciences research for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 1995, and (2) $16,686,000 
     for engineering research and $11,227,000 for geosciences 
     research for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1996.''; 
     and
       (4) by adding at the end of subsection (d) the following 
     new sentence: ``There are authorized to be appropriated, out 
     of funds otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the 
     National Institute of Standards and Technology, $1,900,000 
     for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1995, and $1,957,000 
     for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1996.''.

     SEC. 2. EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT.

       (a) Assessment.--The President shall conduct an assessment 
     of earthquake engineering research and testing capabilities 
     in the United States. This assessment shall include--
       (1) the need for shake tables and other earthquake 
     engineering research and testing facilities in the United 
     States;
       (2) options to cooperate with other countries that have 
     developed complementary earthquake engineering research and 
     testing programs and facilities;
       (3) projected costs for construction, maintenance, and 
     operation of new earthquake engineering research and testing 
     facilities in the United States; and
       (4) options and recommendations to provide funding for the 
     construction and operation of new earthquake engineering and 
     testing facilities, including the feasibility and 
     advisability of developing a comprehensive earthquake 
     engineering research and testing program within the scope of 
     the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977.
       (b) Deadline.--The assessment required by subsection (a) 
     shall be transmitted to Congress within nine months after the 
     date of enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Brown] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Brown].
  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  (Mr. BROWN of California asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the 
House is considering today the Senate amendments to H.R. 3485, the 
reauthorization of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program 
[NEHRP].
  The Senate amendments conform the authorization levels in this 2-year 
authorization bill to the President's budget request for fiscal year 
1995, and direct the President to conduct an assessment of earthquake 
engineering research and testing capabilities in the United States. 
This assessment will address the growing concern that the ability to 
test U.S. building designs and construction methods cannot keep pace 
with the demand to test such structures and ensure public safety during 
earthquakes.
  While the NEHRP Program is modest in scope, its longterm goals are 
lofty. NEHRP seeks a better understanding of the seismic risk 
throughout America, a means to improve designs for building and 
transportation structures to withstand earthquakes, and ways to reduce 
fatalities and injuries during earthquakes. NEHRP also provides the 
Nation maps and data that form the foundation of seismic building codes 
in every country and locality in the United States.
  For more than 15 years, this program has proven its worth with 
improved performance of structures and protection of life during 
earthquakes. The most recent Northridge earthquake is a case in point. 
During this earthquake, which was centered under a populated area, 
retrofitted highway columns held; buildings that incorporated advanced 
earthquake-resistance technologies performed extremely well; and the 
loss of life was much less than expected.
  However, the Northridge earthquake also showed that there are still 
challenges ahead. Seismologists are now convinced that the earthquake 
pattern in California is unprecedented. Earthquake engineers question 
the response of steel-framed structure to earthquake motions. And the 
collapse of the Northridge Meadows apartments uncovered problems in 
building codes for small, one- to three-story structures.
  Thirty-nine States are at significant risk for a damaging earthquake. 
The residents of those States have NEHRP working for them; and their 
houses and roads are safer because of the work initiated and advanced 
by this program.
  I urge my collegeagues to support H.R. 3485.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to pay particular tribute to the work of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker] for his cooperation in this 
exercise. These are times in which it is sometimes difficult to get 
agreement on legislation, and the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. 
Walker], for the minority side, has cooperated to the fullest extent on 
this matter. I wish to express my personal appreciation to him.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to indicate that other members of our 
committee, the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Boucher], the chairman of 
the appropriate subcommittee, and others, have also worked very hard to 
get this bill to its present situation, and I very much hope that it 
will be passed with the minimum amount of difficulty. Mr. Speaker, I 
thank the gentlemen very much.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3485, the Earthquake Hazard 
Reduction Act. This is a 2-year authorization bill that is fiscally 
sound and responsible. Earthquakes are not just a regional problem in 
places like California. As with much of the seismic activity in the 
eastern United States, earthquakes happen along fault lines that are 
unmapped and have no surface expression.
  I am very concerned about the potential of earthquakes in my own 
district. Our committee has asked the President to review the NEHRP 
Program, and we will continue to focus on efforts to protect lives and 
property.
  I want to thank our chairman, the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Brown] and the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. 
Boucher] and our ranking Republican Member of the subcommittee, the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Boehlert] for their leadership on this 
issue. I think we have crafted a good bill.
  I am disappointed that in this bill we have had to drop out a 
provision that was important to some on our side; namely, a provision 
that allowed these programs to sunset as a way of ensuring continued 
fiscal responsibility. That is a disappointment. But all told, this is 
a very good bill, and I would urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Boehlert], who played such a big role in getting 
this bill together.
  (Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BOEHLERT. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I apologize for not mentioning 
the gentleman's name. He has been a stalwart in progressing this 
legislation. At this late hour I did not observe him over there or I 
would have mentioned him previously.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman. I always respect 
your wisdom and good judgment.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3485, which reauthorizes the 
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program [NEHRP]. The bill 
originated in the Subcommittee on Science, of which I am ranking 
Republican. Amendments added in the Senate strengthen the legislation 
by directing the President to assess U.S. earthquake engineering 
research and testing capabilities.
  In urging support for this vital initiative, I'd like to remind my 
colleagues that all of us have much to lose from earthquakes and much 
to gain from earthquake research and hazard prevention. As events of 
the past 5 years have so vividly reminded us, California is the most 
likely location for a major earthquake. But scientists tell us that all 
or parts of 38 States and three territories are at major or moderate 
risk. Quakes east of the Mississippi may be infrequent, but the results 
potentially no less devastating.
  After each severe earthquake, awareness of the importance of 
protective measures runs high. But memories fade. Demands for increased 
mitigation efforts compete with other pressing concerns.
  The reauthorization maintains a long-term sustained focus on research 
and applications to minimize earthquake damage. This modest program--
$210 million over 2 years--can pay significant dividends, returning the 
public's investment many times over.
  The most recent example comes from the Northridge earthquake last 
January. Most buildings and bridges withstood the violent ground 
shaking during the quake. Without the improved building codes supported 
by the NEHRP, that wouldn't have happened. The damage would have been 
much more severe--close to the magnitude of the 1971 Silmar 
earthquake--centered in nearly the same area with far more tragic 
consequences.
  Continued improvement in seismic codes and in the understanding of 
seismic risks have saved lives and property. We have a duty and 
obligation to move forward with this program. I ask you all to support 
H.R. 3485.
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Brown] that the House suspend the rules 
and concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 3485.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________