[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 41 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S3520]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT--MESSAGE FROM THE 
                            PRESIDENT--PM 27

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying 
report; which was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works:

To the Congress of the United States:
  It is with great pleasure that I transmit A Unified National Program 
for Floodplain Management to the Congress. The Unified National Program 
responds to section 1302(c) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 
(Public Law 90-448), which calls upon the President to report to the 
Congress on a Unified National Program. The report sets forth a 
conceptual framework for managing the Nation's floodplains to achieve 
the dual goals of reducing the loss of life and property caused by 
floods and protecting and restoring the natural resources of 
floodplains. This document was prepared by the Federal Interagency 
Floodplain Management Task Force, which is chaired by FEMA.
  This report differs from the 1986 and 1979 versions in that it 
recommends four national goals with supporting objectives for improving 
the implementation of floodplain management at all levels of 
government. It also urges the formulation of a more comprehensive, 
coordinated approach to protecting and managing human and natural 
systems to ensure sustainable development relative to long-term 
economic and ecological health. This report was prepared independent of 
Sharing the Challenge: Floodplain Management Into the 21st Century 
developed by the Floodplain Management Review Committee, which was 
established following the Great Midwest Flood of 1993. However, these 
two reports complement and reinforce each other by the commonality of 
their findings and recommendations. For example, both reports recognize 
the importance of continuing to improve our efforts to reduce the loss 
of life and property caused by floods and to preserve and restore the 
natural resources and functions of floodplains in an economically and 
environmentally sound manner. This is significant in that the natural 
resources and functions of our riverine and coastal floodplains help to 
maintain the viability of natural systems and provide multiple benefits 
for people.
  Effective implementation of the Unified National Program for 
Floodplain Management will mitigate the tragic loss of life and 
property, and disruption of families and communities, that are caused 
by floods every year in the United States. It will also mitigate the 
unacceptable losses of natural resources and result in a reduction in 
the financial burdens placed upon governments to compensate for flood 
damages caused by unwise land use decisions made by individuals, as 
well as governments.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, March 6, 1995.

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