Dear Friend, Almost six years ago, my hometown of Wichita was hit by an F4 tornado which plowed through the suburb of Haysville, killing six, injuring 150 and causing over $140 million in damage. In May 2003, we once again witnessed the devastation of tornadoes when a storm touched down in Kansas City. That week, a record 384 tornados occurred in 19 states, which resulted in 42 fatalities, including one in Wyandotte County. These experiences demonstrate the need for further investment to protect against windstorms.

For this reason, I introduced the National Windstorm Reduction Act of 2004, bipartisan legislation to coordinate federal efforts aimed at reducing the loss of life and property from windstorms, which the House passed last week by a vote of 387 to 26.

The bill, H.R. 3980, creates a multi-agency National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP) to improve the understanding of windstorms and their impacts, and to develop and encourage implementation of measures to reduce those impacts. The working group will include representatives of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

In addition, this legislation has been endorsed by the Wind Hazard Reduction Coalition, which includes the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American Association for Wind Engineering (AAWE), International Code Council (ICC), and Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI).

The frequent storms in Kansas over the last month resulting in Governor Sebelius declaring many counties disaster areas remind us how vulnerable we are to wind damage. It is imperative in this technological age that we transfer the benefits of research and development to states, communities and individuals.

Very truly yours,

DENNIS MOORE