This May, Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Technology, introduced the Natural Hazards Reduction Act of 2013 to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP).

NEHRP was established in 1977 to help monitor and mitigate the effects of earthquakes. NEHRP has been reviewed and reauthorized 11 times since its inception. It was last reauthorized in 2004.

NWIRP was established in 2004 to help monitor and mitigate the effects of windstorms and other wind hazards such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe storms.

Four federal agencies are responsible for different programs under NEHRP: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). FEMA, NSF, NIST and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversee programs for NWIRP. NIST is the lead agency in charge of planning and coordination for both NEHRP and NWIRP. [Credits]