Natural disaster policy attracts new congressional attention
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A public debate over federal disaster policy needs to begin in order to determine how best to respond to natural disasters, the chairman of a House panel dealing with emergency management issues said Tuesday.
Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, said a “comprehensive” review of federal disaster policy has not taken place in two decades.
“The purpose of today's hearing is to launch a public policy debate about the growing human and financial costs of disasters and to review if we — as a nation — are responding in the most appropriate and cost-effective way,” said Rep. Barletta as the panel heard testimony during a discussion entitled “Rebuilding after the storm: Lessening impacts and speeding recovery.”
R. David Paulison, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, urged the adoption of more effective building codes as a means to mitigate natural disaster losses.
He said, however, that only 11 states have “adequate building codes and enforcement mechanisms in place.” Mr. Paulison added that many of the states that lack adequate codes are “directly in harm's way” for hurricanes and other natural disasters.
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