Earl Blumenauer: “I appreciate that this bill finally fully funds the mitigation programs authorized last year by the Flood Insurance…”

“I appreciate that this bill finally fully funds the mitigation programs authorized last year by the Flood Insurance Reform Act, which I was pleased to coauthor with our former colleague, Doug Bereuter, which reauthorized and reformed the National Flood Insurance program assisting property owners who live in repetitively flooded areas. The programs in this bill are not funded by taxpayer dollars but by a transfer from the National Flood Insurance paid by premium dollars which authorized mitigation assistance to communities to elevate properties or move people out of harm's way. Hurricane Katrina highlighted the importance of preparing for and mitigating against these natural disasters. While I am pleased that we have partial funding, I am disappointed that the administration has not requested funding for these programs earlier, an approach that could have, if fully funded and aggressively implemented, saved lives and property. Unfortunately, the conference committee report cuts critical funding for other important mitigation programs. It provides only $50 million for pre-disaster mitigation, which is 67 percent below the House passed level and the President's request and 50 percent below the level for last year. This is what helps keep people out of harm's way. But my deepest concern in the report, I must say, is a local concern, dealing with what it does to Portland's airport screeners with a reduction of over 2,000 from last year and the President's request.…”