Patty Murray: “the amendment Senator Akaka and I have introduced today would restore funding for FEMA's Project Impact and maintain the…”

“the amendment Senator Akaka and I have introduced today would restore funding for FEMA's Project Impact and maintain the existing 75 percent Federal cost-share for hazard mitigation grants. The Murray-Akaka amendment would not increase any funding. It would simply keep the same commitment the Federal Government has provided in previous years. I would like to thank Senator Akaka for his work on this important amendment, I would also like to thank Senators Lieberman, Edwards, Lincoln, Cantwell, Boxer, Reid, and Mikulski for cosponsoring the Murray-Akaka amendment. On February 28 an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale caused significant damage throughout western Washington State killing one person, injuring more than 400 people, and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. It was a big scare. Everyone in western Washington has an earthquake story. Some of the biggest stories involve a small program called Project Impact. My home State was very lucky the damage wasn't worse. But communities in my State created some of their own luck by being prepared. I am proud to say the Federal Government was a good partner in those efforts. Project Impact is a pre-disaster mitigation program run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The premise is simple: in the 1990s, the Federal Government spent more than $20 billion responding to natural disasters. This sum doesn't count the loss of loved ones.”