[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 65 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         BUILDING SAFETY MONTH

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                            HON. PETER WELCH

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 1, 2015

  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the occasion of the start of 
Building Safety Month, to recognize the importance of building safety 
and to recognize the leadership of the International Code Council (ICC) 
that develops and publishes the model building safety and energy 
efficiency model codes used in my home state of Vermont, and each of 
the other 49 states. Increasingly, these codes, developed in the United 
States, are being adopted in other nations where safety in construction 
is desired.
  Over the past few years, we have had several sobering reminders about 
the importance of building codes. In other nations, much like the case 
in the U.S. before the codes were widely adopted, natural events and 
poor construction practices still cause catastrophic loss of life. 
Every year, deadly fires, tornados, windstorms, floods, earthquakes and 
other events remind us of the critical need for strong buildings. As 
Congress discusses the need for resilience and greater energy 
efficiency in our communities, Building Safety Month reminds us that 
key elements of resilience and energy efficiency are properly enforced 
building and energy codes.
  The theme of this year's Building Safety Month is ``Resilient 
Communities start with Building Codes.'' I want to congratulate the 
leaders of the ICC, which has sponsored Building Safety Month in May 
every year for over 30 years. The leaders of ICC, including President 
Guy Tomberlin, Branch Chief Residential/Light Commercial Inspections 
for Fairfax County, Virginia; Vice-President Alex Olszowy III, Building 
Inspection Supervisor, Lexington/Fayette Urban County Government, 
Kentucky; Secretary/Treasurer M. Dwayne Garriss, State Fire Marshal, 
State of Georgia; Past President of the Board of Directors, Stephen 
Jones, Construction Official, Millburn Township/Short Hills, New Jersey 
will join ICC's Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims in Washington the 
week of May 25th to discuss the critical need to support the adoption 
and enforcement of current building codes, to make sure Americans are 
safe at home, at work, at school and at play.
  I also want to congratulate the leaders of the Building Safety 
Association of Vermont ICC, including President Glenn Moore and the 
other leaders of the Vermont ICC Chapter.
  I would also like to thank the thousands of men and women who work 
every day to make sure our buildings comply with building and fire 
codes. Their work, largely unseen and often unnoticed, is critical to 
keeping Americans safe. The model building codes, developed by ICC 
members from all 50 states, allow every community to share the 
advantage of adopting building codes that are adaptable to local 
conditions, but at the same time incorporate the very latest research, 
materials, and building practices. This is achieved in a private-public 
partnership, saving local jurisdictions from bearing the large expense 
of code revision, updating and coordination. These model codes are 
produced through the cooperation of thousands of local U.S. code 
officials working with the building industry to produce codes that 
represent a consensus on what the minimum safety requirements are for 
various building types, all without a dime of Federal taxpayer money.
  Congratulations to the hard working members and leadership of the 
International Code Council.

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