86R8965 BK-D
By: Oliverson H.C.R. No. 75
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Investing in emergency preparedness is critical to
lessening the economic and human impact of disasters, and the first
week of September is being set aside as Resiliency Week to
highlight the importance of advance planning in coping with such
events; and
WHEREAS, Since 1908, natural disasters in the United States
have inflicted a total of more than $1 trillion in damage; they have
affected local and state economies in lost payrolls, lost sales and
income tax, and delayed economic recovery; of all the small
businesses impacted by natural disasters, it is estimated that 25
percent never reopened their doors; and
WHEREAS, Hazard mitigation is the effort to reduce the loss
of life and property from disasters, and it is most effective when
implemented under a comprehensive, long-term mitigation plan; and
WHEREAS, The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program
administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency is designed
to assist states and local communities in developing such plans;
the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, a piece of federal legislation
recently signed into law, makes available new funding for states
and communities to undertake pre-disaster mitigation measures and
creates new incentives for states to prioritize resiliency; and
WHEREAS, According to a FEMA-commissioned study conducted by
the National Institute of Building Sciences, every dollar spent on
hazard mitigation provides the nation with $6 in future benefits;
effective pre-disaster mitigation reduces the demand for relief
services provided by rescue and recovery teams, food banks and
homeless shelters, and other organizations, and it helps break the
cycle of vulnerability that can leave communities prone to future
hazards; and
WHEREAS, The task of building strong, secure, and resilient
communities is essential to the long-term prosperity of the Lone
Star State, and Resiliency Week in September serves to remind us of
the need to take action now to ensure that the infrastructure of our
state is ready for whatever tomorrow may bring; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate the first week of September as Resiliency Week;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section
391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect
until the 10th anniversary of the date that this resolution is
finally passed by the legislature.