[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 132 (Tuesday, October 18, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     DISASTER RECOVERY ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 18, 2005

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer legislation 
to help our nation and this body address the important task of disaster 
recovery.
  We are engaged in significant efforts to mitigate future disasters 
like Hurricane Katrina, and efforts to improve the way in which the 
aftermath of such disasters are handled. The Committee I Chair, 
Transportation and Infrastructure, held a hearing today on rebuilding 
efforts in New Orleans. Other Committees are investigating and 
exploring other aspects of the situation. But we will never legislate 
disasters away, and we will never improve recovery to the point where 
disasters are painless. Or inexpensive.
  Now, we can argue for months--and we probably will--about what causes 
the disasters this country faces regularly. Wild fires, hurricanes, 
floods, earthquakes: They all have some human component that does at 
least contribute to the scope of the damage, if not the cause. But here 
now I would like to move beyond that discussion, and instead focus on 
what we know that we must do in the aftermath: raise and distribute 
funds to rebuild lives, repair infrastructure, and reforge communities.
  We have so far appropriated $62.3 billion for recovery efforts in the 
Gulf region. There was another $8.5 appropriated for the Disaster 
Relief Fund for Fiscal Year 2005. Hurricane Katrina was a major 
disaster, but we have had others--there have been 1,572 major disaster 
declarations in the last 50 years, an average of 31 a year--and there 
will be more.
  We must find a way to meet the inevitable needs that will arise after 
future disasters. We cannot continue deficit spending. After numerous 
discussions with others, and based upon the successful program during 
WWII, I would today like to introduce legislation to begin a ``Disaster 
Recovery Bond'' program, similar to Savings Bonds, but with the income 
from the bonds dedicated to disaster recovery. This money would 
supplement funds in the Disaster Recovery Fund, providing an additional 
pool of funds to be used during large scale disasters like Hurricane 
Katrina.
  When a natural disaster--be it a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, or 
flood--hits a particular region or State, the rest of us can often feel 
disconnected because it's happening to ``them'' and not ``us.'' Buying 
bonds that are specifically designated for these types of disasters can 
help bring together Americans and create a sense of patriotism. This 
idea of individual Americans pitching in for the good of the Nation was 
instrumental in the success of the War Bonds during WWII.
  As a Nation, we are great at reacting. This was evident in the days 
and weeks after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita when the American people 
contributed millions of dollars to countless nonprofit organizations to 
assist their efforts in the affected Gulf Coast region. However, we 
need to think of the future and be more proactive. Purchasing Disaster 
Recovery Bonds will offer Americans an opportunity to contribute 
towards recovery and reconstruction efforts for natural disasters that 
have not yet occurred but are inevitable.

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