Norman Mineta: “Everyone is familiar with our recent legacy of natural disasters. Hugo, Andrew, Iniki, Loma Prieta, Northridge. The…”

“Everyone is familiar with our recent legacy of natural disasters. Hugo, Andrew, Iniki, Loma Prieta, Northridge. The names alone are sufficient to conjure images of death and destruction. But experts tell us that these are but a prelude to future events which could be even more catastrophic. Whether it be Missouri or Tennessee or Washington State or California, the point is that natural disasters are going to happen and it is our responsibility as homeowners, Government leaders, and as businessmen and women, to prepare for them. To do that, a new partnership is urgently needed, so that more of the disaster relief burden can be borne by insurance and less by the Federal Government. That is what this resolution urges us to do, and that is the cornerstone of H.R. 2873, the Natural Disaster Protection Partnership Act, which I proposed in the last Congress.”