NEW YORK--A change in the make-up of Congress may not helpadvocates pushing for creation of federal and state catastrophefund programs, the head of a group campaigning for the concept saidat a press conference here.

Speaking today on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan, James LeeWitt, chief executive officer of Witt Associates and nationalco-chairman of ProtectingAmerican.org, said it's "hard to say" ifthe Democrats take over Congress if it would be more advantageousto passage of a national catastrophe program.

"This is not a political issue," he said. "It should bebi-partisan. Catastrophes are a concern to both Democrats andRepublicans."

Mr. Witt, the former head of the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency under the Clinton administration, heads the effort alongwith retired Coast Guard Adm. James M. Loy, also former Departmentof Homeland Security deputy secretary, to create both national andstate catastrophe funds to step in when disaster strikes.

Mr. Witt joined New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum andManhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to announce theirsupport for bills in the New York State Legislature to create astate catastrophe plan.

Ms. Gotbaum called on the legislature to do its part toestablish the funding for the plan that would help with therebuilding of the city should a hurricane ever strike.

She noted that the city is considered highly vulnerable to ahurricane and that a Category 3 storm (with sustained winds clockedat between 111 to 130 mph on the Saffir-Simpson scale) would bringa 10 foot wall of water to the city's streets and turn rows ofhigh-rise buildings into wind tunnels.

"We are doing our part in New York City," said Ms. Gotbaum. "Thestate must act now."

Mr. Stringer said while the state and city have prepared formajor disasters, it has not prepared for the kind of destruction ahurricane could bring and plans for the rebuilding needed in theaftermath.

"We have the opportunity now that in the event of a naturalcatastrophe, we can increase the insurance available forrebuilding," said Mr. Stringer. "We can't wait [to begin forplanning] to put the city back together."

Under New York's plan, Mr. Witt said, the state would provide$10 million seed money to begin building the fund.

With premiums paid by insurers, the fund would grow, and after atime, if no funds have been paid out to catastrophes, portions ofthe proceeds would go to emergency workers and other firstresponders to improve their equipment and readiness, he said.

Ms. Gotbaum and Mr. Stringer said discussion on the state's planshould begin come January.

Nationally, Mr. Witt said that he thought hearings to discuss anational catastrophe plan would begin after the 110th Congress isin place.

Both New York and New Jersey have seen bills introduced in theirstate legislatures, which would create state catastrophe funds,said Mr. Witt. Both California and Florida are seeking to makechanges in existing programs, he added.

The bill in New York is being sponsored by state Sen. MichaelBalboni, R-East Williston (S-6301), and Assemblyman Robert K.Sweeney, D-Suffolk County (A-9754).

ProtectingAmerica.org's campaign has the strong support ofAllstate and State Farm, but other insurers in theproperty-casualty community are opposed to the concept.