[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 18, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING BUILDING SAFETY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONALD S. BEYER, JR.

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 18, 2022

  Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark the beginning of 
Building Safety Month and to recognize the more than 64,000 members of 
the International Code Council (ICC) who have dedicated their 
livelihoods to ensuring public safety throughout the built 
environment--whether our homes, offices, schools, houses of worship, et 
cetera.
  Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council 
and its partners to remind the public about the professionals who 
ensure buildings are safe, resilient, efficient, and livable. The Code 
Council brings together local, state, and federal as well as 
stakeholders from the private sector to develop model codes and 
standards that protect the occupants of the buildings in which we live, 
work, and play. Those standards are then implemented year-round by 
building safety officials, the fire service, architects, engineers, 
plumbers, and laborers to ensure the safe construction and maintenance 
of buildings.
  This year's Building Safety Month theme is ``Building Codes in 
Action'' which encourages all of us to raise awareness of the 
importance of safe and resilient construction, fire prevention, 
sanitation, disaster mitigation, and innovative technologies in the 
construction industry.
  Last month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released 
its Building Codes Strategy, which exemplifies this year's theme by 
recognizing that community adoption and enforcement of hazard-resistant 
building codes and standards ``lays the foundation for increased 
resilience'' and creates a ``culture of preparedness by making 
mitigation a standard practice.''
  In late 2020 FEMA released a study, titled ``Building Codes Saves'', 
which found that implementing modem building codes could save $600 
billion in disaster spending by 2060. FEMA further confirmed a prior 
report by the National Institute of Building Sciences that found that 
adopting modem codes provides $11 in mitigation savings for every $1 
invested.
  With natural disasters increasing in frequency and severity, building 
codes and standards include important safeguards to protect the public 
from snow and ice storms, hurricanes, and earthquakes. We thank those 
who implement and enforce building codes for protecting lives, 
property, businesses, and communities.
  Development, adoption, and implementation of up-to-date codes and 
standards has enabled Virginia through its 2018 Uniform Statewide 
Building Code to ensure its codes assure building safety and waste the 
least energy in the Southeastern United States.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in thanking International Code Council 
Board President Cindy Davis--a constituent I represent, as well as 
ICC's Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, the International Code 
Council leadership, and ICC's Members and staff as they recognize 
Building Safety Month.

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