Rep. Graves introduces bill to better protect Louisiana against natural disasters

This Oct. 8, 2020 photo made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Delta in the Gulf of Mexico at 12:41 p.m. EDT. Delta, gaining strength as it bears down on the U.S. Gulf Coast, is the latest and nastiest in a recent flurry of rapidly intensifying Atlantic hurricanes that scientists largely blame on global warming. (NOAA via AP)

by: WGNO Web Desk

Posted: Oct 9, 2020 / 03:04 PM AST

Updated: Oct 9, 2020 / 03:04 PM AST

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BATON ROUGE, LA – U.S. Congressman Garret Graves introduced bipartisan legislation that will better protect Louisiana by standardizing research on natural disasters.

The Disaster Learning and Life Saving Act, cosponsored with Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA), would establish an independent board to review underlying causes of natural disasters and make recommendations to all levels of government on how to keep Americans safe. Graves has prevously advocated for the need to be proactive and invest in resiliency projects before storms, rather than after the fact, to prevent the loss of life and property.

“The National Transportation Safety Board has saved countless lives by carefully examining the causes of transportation accidents and identifying life-saving safety improvements to airplanes, trains, pipelines, and vessels. There is no question that we continue to repeat the same two mistakes when it comes to natural disasters — preparation and response. As a result, thousands of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars have needlessly been lost, ” Graves said. “The National Disaster Safety Board will examine the causes of disasters and help to build upon some of our recent solutions to improve America’s preparedness and resilience. Based upon our recent disasters in Louisiana, I can give you one solution already — export the Cajun Navy to the other 49 states.”

“As California experiences yet another devastating wildfire season, it’s clear that we must do more to guard against natural disasters,” Porter said. “Orange County families have seen an uptick in the number and severity of natural disasters, so we know how important it is to have comprehensive research to make science-based policy. I’m proud to partner with Representative Graves, Senator Schatz, and Senator Cassidy to simplify the process for how this critical research is conducted and presented.”

Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Brian Schatz (HI) and Bill Cassidy (LA).

“With climate change causing more frequent and severe natural disasters, we need more data to make sure our communities are resilient and prepared to respond to the next crisis,” Schatz said. “Our bill creates a new independent board to investigate major natural disasters and gives policymakers and the public a full accounting of what happened and what should happen next.”

“Americans across the country from the Gulf Coast to California are dealing with the results of natural disasters. Another hurricane is zeroing in on Louisiana right now,” Cassidy said. “By establishing a natural disaster safety board, lessons learned from past disasters save lives and perhaps even prevent future disasters.”