101st Congress > House > Vote 719
Clerk session vote number: 369
Description: EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS REDUCTION ACT OF 1977 AMENDMENTS ACT
Bill summary: Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 Amendments Act - Amends the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (the Act) to give the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) the primary responsibility for planning and coordinating the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. Revises Program objectives.
Sets forth the duties of FEMA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (the Program agencies).
Replaces
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provisions requiring an annual report on the status of the Program with provisions requiring the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to report to specified congressional committees on the role of that Office.
Establishes the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Advisory Committee. Terminates the Committee on September 30, 1993.
Directs the President to adopt standards for assessing and enhancing the seismic safety of existing buildings constructed or leased by the Federal Government. Requires that the standards be developed by the Interagency Committee on Seismic Safety in Construction.
Requires the FEMA Director to submit to the Congress a plan for developing and adopting design and construction standards for lifelines (defined as public works and utilities, including transportation facilities and infrastructure, oil and gas pipelines, electrical power and communication facilities, and water supply and sewage treatment facilities).
Authorizes the FEMA Director to accept gifts in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, notwithstanding specified provisions of Federal law.
Prohibits a grant under the Act that is made with certain funds from requiring cost sharing greater than 25 percent. Allows any cost sharing requirement to be satisfied through in-kind contributions.
Establishes within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) an earthquake investigations program. Requires the USGS, after any significant earthquake, to organize investigations in the areas of responsibility of each Program agency.
Authorizes appropriations to the Program agencies to carry out the Act.
Allows FEMA, if it determines the public interest requires and if the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative concur, to award to a domestic firm a contract that, under the use competitive procedures, would be awarded to a foreign firm, if certain conditions are met.
Requires the FEMA Director to report to specified congressional committees the results of a study on the impact of catastrophic earthquakes.
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Bill titles: To amend the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 to improve the Federal effort to reduce earthquake hazards, and for other purposes.
Original source documents: Digest of the Congressional Record vol. 136, p. 7977;
Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov
