[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 154 (Friday, November 18, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H11025-H11026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       PREDISASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure be discharged from further 
consideration of the bill (H.R. 4324) to amend the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to reauthorize the 
predisaster mitigation program, and for other purposes, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California). Is 
there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                               H.R. 4324

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Predisaster Mitigation 
     Program Reauthorization Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. PREDISASTER HAZARD MITIGATION.

       Section 203(m) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
     and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133(m)) is amended 
     by striking ``December 31, 2005'' and inserting ``September 
     30, 2008''.

     SEC. 3. STUDY REGARDING COST REDUCTION.

       Section 209 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (42 
     U.S.C. 5121 note; 114 Stat. 1571) is

[[Page H11026]]

     amended by striking ``3 years after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act'' and inserting ``September 30, 2007''.

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to commend my 
colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Chairman 
Young, Subcommittee Chairman Shuster and Subcommittee Democratic 
Ranking Member Norton, for all of their work on this important bill. 
H.R. 4324, Predisaster Mitigation Act Reauthorization Act of 2005, 
provides funding for a competitive grant program to assist States and 
local governments in implementing cost-effective hazard mitigation 
activities that complement a comprehensive mitigation program.
  The Predisaster Mitigation Grant Program (PDM) will provide funds to 
states, and local governments and communities for hazard mitigation 
planning and the implementation of mitigation projects prior to a 
disaster event. Funding these plans and projects reduces overall risks 
to the population and structures, while also reducing reliance on 
funding from actual disaster declarations. This program funds 
activities like, the seismic strengthening of buildings and 
infrastructure, the construction of levees and the building of ``safe 
rooms'' in houses and other structures to protect against high winds. 
It is important to note that this program complements another Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act post mitigation 
program--the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMPG) which provides fund 
to reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss or suffering in any 
area affected by a major disaster.
  Over the last twenty-five years, this country has had over one 
thousand presidential disaster declarations in the United States and 
the Insular Territories. These disasters have cost our nation billions 
of dollars and taken an untold number of lives. In the aftermath of 
Hurricane Katrina, Rita and Wilma, we have all become acutely aware of 
the devastation natural disaster can bring. We know that these natural 
disasters will continue to occur and bring damage and destruction but 
we also know that mitigation programs like the Predisaster Mitigation 
Program will help save lives and property.
  According to the Multihazard Mitigation Council of the National 
Institute of Building Sciences which conducted an independent study on 
the costs benefits of mitigation for the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA)--mitigation saves lives and tax dollars. For every $1 
spent from the United States Treasury for mitigation, we will save 
$3.65 for taxpayers when disaster strikes. Mitigation reduces property 
damage, reduces business interruption, reduces environmental damage and 
most importantly, it reduces societal losses, including causalities and 
homelessness. Moreover, the benefits of FEMA hazard mitigation grants 
significantly exceed their costs--by a 4 to 1 margin. In addition to 
providing broad-based benefits to society, FEMA hazard mitigation 
grants more than pay for themselves. Mr. Speaker, it is unmistakably 
clear, mitigation is essential to reducing the loss of lives and 
property in future natural disasters.
  In October 2000, Congress passed the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 
(DMA), which reauthorized the Stafford Act and created several new 
programs. One of those new programs was a Predisaster Mitigation 
Program that tasked FEMA with awarding grants to states on a 
competitive basis to implement predisaster mitigation plans. Again, in 
the wake of Hurricane Katrina as the Gulf Region begins the long and 
difficult process of rebuilding we can truly appreciate the importance 
of predisaster mitigation planning. Today, this bill extends the 
authorization of this program for another three years and directs the 
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to conduct a study on the program's 
effectiveness.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a good bill that will save both lives, 
property and taxpayer funds. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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