[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17637-17638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               PROVIDE PROTECTION BEFORE DISASTERS OCCUR

  (Mr. BLUMENAUER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, last night the House approved disaster 
assistance for citizens in Florida. Our hearts go out, for it is 
appropriate for us to step in and do what we can. But we need to do 
more. There is a big difference in loss from storms, floods and 
wildfires, depending on what people do in advance to protect 
themselves.
  It is time for the Federal Government to add assistance to do it 
right, in planning, zoning and building codes, if we create the right 
balance of policy

[[Page 17638]]

so fewer people are at risk, we are also kinder to the taxpayers. We 
know what to do.
  I hope we do not have any more supplementals where we do not provide 
assistance to help people protect themselves to avoid these problems in 
the first place.

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