Norton Hearing Thursday to Address Stafford Act Relief for Disasters in Big Cities (3/3/2010)

Norton Hearing Thursday to Address Stafford Act Relief for Disasters in Big Cities

March 3, 2010

WASINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), chair, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, will hold a hearing, Thursday, March 4, 2 p.m. "U.S. Mayor's Speak Out: Addressing Disasters in Cities," in the Rayburn House Office Building, room, 2167, where three big city mayors will address disaster issues and a recent report by the United States Conference of Mayors Stafford Act Reform Task Force, on which they serve. The hearing will include testimony from Mayor Ray Nagin, in what will likely be his last appearance before that Subcommittee as mayor of New Orleans; Mayor T. M. Franklin Cownie of Des Moines, Iowa; and Mayor Robert J. Duffy of Rochester, New York.

"Following the winter's record snowfalls, the District of Columbia has had to request Stafford Act Disaster Emergency Relief for the first time in memory," Norton said. "I will be particularly interested in hearing what big city mayors have to say about the Act, especially benefits to big cities like D.C. and the benefits like those we in D.C. expect to receive."

The United States Conference of Mayors convened a task force of 24 mayors to review and make recommendations on the Stafford Act and on FEMA's programs and policies that implement the Act.

"We look forward to hearing how we can improve on our nation's response to, and survival of, disasters in its cities," Norton said. "We commend Mayor Nagin for leading his city through the greatest natural disaster to strike our nation, and for his experience as a chair of the task force to help ensure that cities across the country can learn from the experience of the citizens of his city."

The hearing will be webcast on the Committee website: https://www.transporation.house.gov/.