(WASHINGTON, DC) – Congressman Dennis Moore (Third District – Kansas) and Congresswoman Melissa A. Hart (Fourth District – Pennsylvania) have reintroduced the Hurricane, Tornado, and Related Hazards Research Act, a bipartisan bill that will focus federal efforts on minimizing the loss of life and property due to severe windstorms.

"Less then five months after I took office, a tornado struck my hometown of Wichita, Kansas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which caused 38 deaths," states Moore. "Five Kansans died and 150 were injured -- as many as 8,400 structures, were damaged, and as many as 1,100 of those destroyed. This catastrophe is nothing different than all the tornadoes that have come before it, but as a member of the House Science Committee, I decided to do something about it."

Currently the federal government spends approximately $5 million to develop knowledge, practices and policies to reduce or eliminate losses from wind-related disasters. This bill would increase funding, provide for better coordination of the federal effort, prioritize research efforts, increase technology transfer programs, and emphasize public education.

"The American Society of Civil Engineers cannot stress enough how critical and overdue this legislation is," said ASCE President H. Gerard Schwartz Jr., Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE. "Significant reductions in losses from windstorms such as hurricanes and tornadoes are achievable if we educate the public and research new wind-hazard reduction technologies. I commend Representatives Moore and Hart for working with the community to craft this technically and scientifically sound legislation."

"Living in tornado alley my entire life taught me a lot about the consequences of tornadoes, floods, and thunderstorms. Though we can't stop the storms, in this day and age we should be doing everything we can to protect the lives and property that are at risk during our worst natural disasters. This bill will help us take proactive steps to save lives and property," said Moore.

While anchoring devices, reinforced garage doors and other prevention measures can save lives and reduce damage from tornadoes, more than half of those surveyed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in March 2000 have done nothing to safeguard themselves and their homes. In fact, 44 percent of those questioned - all residing in tornado-prone states - didn't know that actions taken before a disaster could prevent tornado damage.

Moore is a co-founder of the Wind Hazard Reduction Caucus, whose website is http://www.windhazards.org/caucus.cfm. Moore’s bill is H.R. 3592.