Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§15701 Findings

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 148— - WINDSTORM IMPACT REDUCTION › § 15701

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, and thunderstorms cause big loss of life, injuries, and property and economic damage, and all areas are at risk. The United States sustains several billion dollars in windstorm damage each year, and recent fast development and population growth in high‑risk places has made things worse. Losses can be reduced by better building design and retrofits, mitigation, improved data and research, and public education. The Federal Government should help and coordinate with other agencies and non‑Federal partners.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §15701

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Congress finds the following:
(1)Hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, and thunderstorms can cause significant loss of life, injury, destruction of property, and economic and social disruption. All States and regions are vulnerable to these hazards.
(2)The United States currently sustains several billion dollars in economic damages each year due to these windstorms. In recent decades, rapid development and population growth in high-risk areas has greatly increased overall vulnerability to windstorms.
(3)Improved windstorm impact reduction measures have the potential to reduce these losses through—
(A)cost-effective and affordable design and construction methods and practices;
(B)effective mitigation programs at the local, State, and national level;
(C)improved data collection and analysis and impact prediction methodologies;
(D)engineering research on improving new structures and retrofitting existing ones to better withstand windstorms, atmospheric-related research to better understand the behavior and impact of windstorms on the built environment, and subsequent application of those research results; and
(E)public education and outreach.
(4)There is an appropriate role for the Federal Government in supporting windstorm impact reduction. An effective Federal program in windstorm impact reduction will require interagency coordination, and input from individuals, academia, the private sector, and other interested non-Federal entities.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

of 2015 Amendment Pub. L. 114–52, § 1, Sept. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 496, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 15702 to 15704 and 15706 of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2015’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 108–360, title II, § 201, Oct. 25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1675, provided that: “This Act [probably should be ‘this title’, enacting this chapter and amending section 1885d of this title] may be cited as the ‘National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004’.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 15701

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73