[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 170 (Monday, November 5, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2321-E2322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE SAFE AND HEALTHY EMERGENCY HOUSING ACT OF 2007

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                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 5, 2007

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce 
the Safe and Healthy Emergency Housing Act, which underscores the 
Federal Government's obligation to provide safe emergency housing units 
to disaster victims during times of need.
  I am glad to be joined today in introducing this bill by the chairman 
of the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and 
Response, Henry Cuellar from Texas, and Representative Gene Taylor, who 
knows firsthand the importance of providing adequate housing to 
disaster victims.
  I would also like to thank Representatives Clarke, Jackson Lee, 
Christensen, Lofgren, and Al Green for signing on as original 
cosponsors.
  Nearly 2\1/2\ years after Hurricane Katrina, we are still learning 
how we can improve our ability to better prepare for, respond to, and 
recover from disasters. The lessons we have learned cannot be ignored.
  One of the most striking lessons we learned was that this country was 
ill-prepared to provide emergency housing to victims during a major 
catastrophe.
  To house the number of individuals who lost their homes during 
Katrina and Rita, FEMA was forced to immediately purchase thousands of 
travel trailers. By the time the dust settled, FEMA had purchased over 
100,000 of these units.
  At the time, travel trailers appeared to be a logical choice because 
they can be produced much faster than other housing alternatives. 
However, as time passed, it became clear that travel trailers may not 
have been the best option.
  By now, most of us are well aware that many of the travel trailers 
provided by FEMA were and remain contaminated with formaldehyde. Many 
of us, however, do not know why this happened.
  Tests conducted in 2006 found that the formaldehyde levels in most of 
the trailers tested exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's 
recommended limit. It's also important to note that formaldehyde is 
classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research of 
Cancer.
  I have continually raised concerns over the health impacts of 
formaldehyde exposure with the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, 
and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.
  My Committee staff has also interviewed medical officials from the 
CDC Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry about a February 
2007 report that focused on formaldehyde levels present in FEMA 
trailers. However, the study did not analyze the potential health 
impacts on travel trailers' residents.
  After expressing my deep concerns with the DHS chief medical officer 
over the lack of such a study, FEMA announced that they would be 
entering into an agreement with the CDC to test the trailers for 
formaldehyde and to study what associated health impacts may have been 
encountered.
  I anxiously await the results of this important study.
  Madam Speaker, as you may know, the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, HUD, regulates formaldehyde emissions in manufactured 
housing. However, travel trailers are not considered to be 
``manufactured housing,'' and are, therefore, exempt from this 
regulation.
  This legislation protects disaster victims by requiring that any 
emergency housing units provided by FEMA meet HUD regulations limiting 
formaldehyde emissions.
  This legislation does not force the travel trailer industry to change 
the way they manufacture their product, it simply makes certain that 
FEMA will no longer provide formaldehyde-contaminated housing units to 
disaster victims.
  While the health implications are still being studied, we do know 
that research has proven that the negative health effects can range 
anywhere from respiratory irritation to cancer. According to medical 
experts, the health impacts are most concerning for children whose 
lungs are still developing.
  In closing Madam Speaker, let me say that our citizens' health should 
be a top priority

[[Page E2322]]

during times of disaster recovery. I believe this legislation will 
embrace that priority and make certain that this problem will not be 
encountered during future disasters.

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