Federal lawmakers from the Midwest, still reeling from long-lasting river flooding, have rolled out abillto establish a $100-million low-interest federal revolving loan fund for resilience projects.
H.R. 3779，代表Angie Craig（D-Minn。）和Rodney Davis（R-ill。），将于7月24日推出，将向任何社区提供总计1亿美元的贷款，以建立基础设施，以使其更具弹性。
偿还贷款时，这笔钱将补充贷款基金，并可以供将来的救灾。
戴维斯说：“这就是社区想做的，他们不想计算灾难成本，然后每次发生任何事情时就乞求FEMA宣布灾难。”新利18备用官网登录
Mayor Rick Eberlin, of Grafton, Ill,, stressed that he and other mayors were "not asking for a handout.” He said, “We’re simply asking for a helping hand. And I believe this bill and this loan fund will do that for all of our communities.”
The bill largely mirrors requests made in March by the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, a coalition of nearly 80 mayors and other officials from communities along the river.
Craig said at a press conference to announce the bill's introduction, "I heard from mayors across my district, including Mayor Sean Dowse from Red Wing, Minn., that the severity of this year's spring floods overwhelmed communities and stretched already limited resources beyond their breaking points,"
She added, "It's clear that natural disasters are getting deadlier and more severe and they are costing our communities money, displacing families, delaying farmers planting seasons, and impeding local businesses."
The measure, drafted with help from FEMA, would fund projects such as floodplain mapping, levee reconfiguration and port protection.
Loan proceeds could also be used for natural infrastructure, such as wetlands, marshes, riparian buffers, reconnected floodplains and reconnected backwater areas. The American Society of Civil Engineers supports the legislation. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), who chairs the subcommittee on economic development, public buildings and emergency management, said that she will schedule a quick vote to get the bill through to the House floor.
Titus said, "There is a lot of support for it in our committee. We've been working with FEMA, so I think you'll see it moving rather quickly."
她补充说：“我和戴维斯先生与全国各地的许多市长一起工作，以鼓励他们的共和党人和民主党人尽快加入该法案。”
戴维斯（Davis《灾难声明改进法》, to change the funding formula for disaster relief.
He said it was premature to say what the new measure could lead to or how eventual passage could happen.
"Let's not jump ahead of ourselves," said Davis, who serves on an authorizing committee for FEMA programs.
他补充说：“一旦我们拥有授权语言，我们就可以进去为拨款而战。但这始于我们所有人服务的委员会。”
It was also not clear exactly where initial funding for the $100 million fund could come from in the federal budget. But Davis said, "This is a one-year program."
