House Bill on Resilient Construction Gains Co-Sponsors

NRMCA and members of the Resilient Construction Coalition have signed four new co-sponsors of legislation that will help save money, reduce destruction and prevent the loss of lives in disaster-prone areas. Once a disaster strikes, we are faced with the task of rebuilding our communities so Americans can get back to work. Every time a disaster is declared, taxpayer dollars pour into the region to help rebuild the area. Last year, $60 billion was authorized in disaster relief for Hurricane Sandy alone.   

The Disaster Savings and Resilient Construction Act, HR 2241, was introduced by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-21) on June 4, 2013. The Act provides a tax credit to home owners or building owners when a structure meets the 2009 or later International Building Code (published by the International Code Council ©) and has received the designation from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety of FORTIFIED for Safer Living®/Business. Structures are eligible for a credit if they are built within a federally declared disaster zone up to two years following the occurrence of the disaster. In the case of qualified residential property, home owners can receive up to $3,000 and, in the case of qualified commercial property building owners, can receive up to $25,000.

The four new co-sponsors - Reps. Spencer Bachus (AL-6), Andy Barr (KY-6), Michael T. McCaul (TX-10), and Brett Guthrie (KY- 2) - have joined Andy Harris (MD-1), Peter DeFazio (OR-4), Jim Matheson (UT-4) Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3), Matt Cartwright (PA-17), John J. Duncan Jr. (TN-2), Kevin Yoder (KS-3), Bill Posey (FL- 8) and Timothy Bishop (NY- 1). Members of the Resilient Construction Coalition advocating the advancement of the Act include NRMCA, the American Concrete Pipe Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Association of Equipment Distributors, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, International Code Council, National Concrete Masonry Association, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Portland Cement Association, Prestressed/Precast concrete Institute, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, Silica Fume Association and the Tiltup Concrete Association.