[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 2, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S6342]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              50TH EDITION OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I welcome this opportunity to bring to 
the attention of my colleagues a special event taking place next month, 
when the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, headquartered in 
Quincy, MA, will publish the 50th edition of the National Electrical 
Code.
  First published in 1897, the code provides a blueprint for 
safeguarding schools, hospitals, homes, and workplaces from the 
potential dangers of electricity. The code is recognized throughout the 
United States and is used extensively in other nations. In many 
respects, it is the most widely accepted building construction code in 
the world. According to Bob Vila, the well-known home improvement 
personality, the code ``. . . not only promotes best practices, it is 
also a nearly universal document which helps everyone in the business 
achieve the safest possible results.''
  The wide acceptance of the code as a public safety document is a 
tribute to the success of the National Fire Protection Association's 
voluntary consensus process, which is used by the Association to 
develop many other safety codes and standards as well. The process is 
accredited by the American National Standards Institute and is the same 
voluntary consensus process mandated for Federal agencies by Congress 
in the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995.
  The National Electrical Code is currently updated every 3 years and 
is the result of thousands of hours of work by more than 450 
representatives of the enforcement community, the construction 
industry, organized labor, the manufacturing sector, suppliers, and the 
insurance industry. Before a new edition of the code is published, 
members of the public are invited to provide input. Upon completion of 
that process, the document is then voted on for adoption by the entire 
membership of the Association. By continually updating the code to 
address new emerging technologies and construction methods, the 
association has enabled Americans to enjoy an unparalleled level of 
safety against electrical hazards.
  I congratulate the association and the many volunteers who have spent 
so many hours to make the 50th edition of the National Electrical Code 
a reality. They deserve the Nation's gratitude for their skill and 
dedication in providing this extraordinary public service.

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