Safeguarding Tomorrow Through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. CRAIG. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3418, the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act or the STORM Act, as amended.

I want to thank Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Chair Dina Titus and Ranking Members Sam Graves and John Katko for their work on this bill to get us to where we are today.

I also want to thank fellow T&I Member Rodney Davis for being a strong partner with me on this from the outset. I am also grateful to Majority Leader Hoyer for scheduling a vote on this bill.

Finally, I also want to thank the diligent members of the Committee's staff, particularly Aaron Davis, for helping us reach this historic milestone. I also want to thank a former member of my staff, Natalie Martinez, for helping to lead the introduction of this bill and my Legislative Director Will Mitchell for helping to bring the bill across the finish line.

Madam Speaker, by way of background, the original version of the STORM Act was introduced last July as H.R.3779, the Resilience Revolving Loan Fund Act of 2019 following a catastrophic spring where Minnesota experienced one of the most devastating flood seasons on record.

In response, I worked closely with local mayors in Minnesota dealing with the aftermath of this flooding to develop the concept of a resilience fund and establish a low-interest loan program for states to fund pre-disaster mitigation projects which greatly reduce the risks and costs of natural disasters. Revolving fund loans will be available for projects that minimize the risks of wildfires, earthquakes, floods, storm surges, tornadoes, and other events deemed catastrophic by FEMA.

The revolving fund concept is modeled after similar state revolving funds authorized and funded by Congress for projects that have resulted in a significant increase in the capacity and capabilities of water infrastructure in communities across the nation.

It is our hope that our colleagues on the Appropriations Committee will see the wisdom in the revolving fund concept and fully capitalize this program starting in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 so that disaster mitigation can see that same significant return on investment.

Madam Speaker, another benefit of this bill is that it opens up mitigation funds to a new set of eligible folks. Currently, most FEMA hazard mitigation programs restrict Public Assistance mitigation funds if projects may accrue to the benefit of homeowners and businesses-- which can create challenges, particularly in rural areas of my Congressional District with lower populations and large areas of farmland. The revolving loan fund before us today is specifically intended to reduce risks for homeowners, businesses, nonprofit organizations and communities.

As a matter of process, Madam Speaker, I'm pleased that our bill, like the STORM Act, moved through regular order on the Committee and attracted bipartisan, unanimous support when it passed the House. Since March of this year when the STORM Act was introduced, staff members on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee worked closely together to iron out technical differences and present a final bill that can be signed into law by the President.

Throughout the process, we attracted and maintained the support of a number of groups that partnered together to build the political will necessary to pass this bill. In particular, I want to thank the American Council of Engineering Companies, The American Institute of Architects, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Landscape Architects, City Parks Alliance, Ecological Restoration Business Association, Interstate Council on Water Policy, Mississippi Rivers Cities and Towns Initiative, National Recreation and Park Association, The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Chamber of Commerce for their support.

As part of the Mississippi Rivers Cities and Towns Initiative, I want to give special thanks to Executive Director Colin Wellenkamp and outgoing Red Wing Mayor Sean Dowse--who were also instrumental in this effort.

Madam Speaker, in closing, passage of the STORM Act will be an important step in making our towns and cities more resilient. I'm thrilled to be leading the bipartisan effort for smart, proactive investments in disaster-resilient infrastructure.

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