House Holds Hearing on Rising Costs of Federal Disasters

Last week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held a hearing titled "Controlling the Rising Cost of Federal Responses to Disaster". At the hearing, Representatives Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Albio Sires (D-NJ) highlighted their recently introduced bill, the National Mitigation Investment Act (NMIA) of 2016. The BuildStrong Coalition, of which NRMCA is an active member, worked with Members of Congress to introduce the NMIA bill.

The bill aims to reform and improve how the federal government implements mitigation and disaster spending. The bill also would provide hazard mitigation grants to states that meet the requirements for the strongest building code standards, which will further incentivize states to modernize their building codes. Lastly, the bill authorizes the National Advisory Council to examine the economic impact of disasters and all aspects of disaster spending once a federal disaster has been declared. Eric Nelson, senior vice president of catastrophe risk management and analyst at Travelers as well as an Executive Committee member of the BuildStrong Coalition, testified at the hearing last Thursday. Mr. Nelson noted the urgency and critical need for disaster and mitigation spending reform in Congress and spoke on the merits of the NMIA bill. 

 

The NMIA bill builds upon the BuildStrong Coalition’s efforts to advance stronger buildings codes. The BuildStrong Coalition consists of national business and consumer organizations, companies and emergency management officials working together to advance stronger building codes. NRMCA has been an active member for 10 years.