Three Catastrophe Measures Introduced In House

NU Online News Service, June 26, 2:46 a.m. EDT

WASHINGTON–Three House bills have been introduced to provide federal funds through several programs to assist homeowners, businesses, public officials and first responders in preparing for disasters.

The three bills were introduced this week by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

They have the support of several industry trade groups, including the Reinsurance Association of America and SmarterSafer.org, a coalition of insurance industry companies and promoters of environmentally responsible projects.

The bills encourage mitigation activities such as increasing the structural integrity of homes and commercial buildings, creating water barriers to prevent property flooding, coordinating the use of natural and man-made storm barriers, and providing incentives for states to improve state mitigation programs and identify and implement first responder programs.

The Predisaster Hazard Mitigation Enhancement Program Act of 2009 would help mitigation efforts for low- to moderate-income homeowners, apartment building residents and small businesses.

Under the Hazard Mitigation For All Act of 2009 help would be provided for mitigation efforts that would protect the lives and property of public and Section 8 subsidized housing residents.

The third bill, the First Responder Innovation and Support Act of 2009, is designed to provide grants that would support innovative first responder programs.

Franklin W. Nutter, RAA president, said that together "these three bills represent a proactive and common-sense approach to preventing loss of life and property during catastrophic events."

He said the bills are "fiscally and socially responsible" because they are focused on prevention in those regions at greatest risk to catastrophic events.

"In the end, all constituencies will benefit," he said.

Eli Lehrer, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a member of SmarterSafer.org, said risk-based, private market insurance rates provide the single best support for mitigation.

"In the short term, however, we need to do something about the people who, largely as a result of misguided government policies, have ended up living in disaster-prone areas," Mr. Lehrer said.

"As transition measures, approaches like these are surely better than continuing with hugely expensive policies that endanger lives and destroy the environment," he added.