PRINTER'S NO. 3581
No. 304 Session of 1986
INTRODUCED BY F. TAYLOR, DALEY, KASUNIC AND DeWEESE, JUNE 3, 1986
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JUNE 5, 1986
A RESOLUTION 1 Amending House Resolution No. 192, adopted December 11, 1985, 2 entitled "A Resolution establishing an investigatory 3 committee to investigate the circumstances preceding and 4 existing during and subsequent to the massive flooding of the 5 Monongahela River Basin which occurred on and around November 6 5, 1985," providing for a survey of Presidentially declared 7 disasters in Pennsylvania in 1985. 8 RESOLVED, That House Resolution No. 192, adopted December 11, 9 1985, be amended to read: 10 WHEREAS, The Monongahela River Basin, a geographic area of 11 Western Pennsylvania, which has experienced chronic economic 12 depression since 1981, was dealt yet another blow on and around 13 November 5, 1985, when massive flooding of the river basin 14 precipitated loss of life and loss of millions of dollars of 15 property; and 16 WHEREAS, Rumors run rampant throughout Western Pennsylvania 17 that losses would have been less if the disaster had been 18 handled differently; and 19 WHEREAS, Because flooding of the rivers of Western 20 Pennsylvania recurs from time to time, it is imperative to
1 thoroughly review this particular event to determine that 2 warning systems, emergency response systems and other systems 3 which functioned throughout this flooding emergency were 4 adequate and coordinated, and to determine that water systems in 5 the area are contained in safe, healthy reservoirs and 6 waterways; [therefore be it] and 7 WHEREAS, Uncertainty exists regarding the amount of the 8 losses suffered by private homeowners which was not covered by 9 private insurance and Federal and State grants as a result of 10 Presidentially declared disasters in Pennsylvania in 1985; 11 therefore be it 12 RESOLVED, That an investigatory committee be established to 13 gather information and report to the full House of 14 Representatives within 120 days its findings regarding the 15 adequacy of all systems which responded to this latest flooding 16 of the Monongahela River Basin, the circumstances existing 17 immediately before and throughout the flooding, and any 18 engineering improvements which would be necessarily made to 19 reduce such a disaster from recurring; and be it further 20 RESOLVED, That this committee undertake a comprehensive 21 survey of victims of Presidentially declared disasters in 22 Pennsylvania in 1985 to determine the amount of losses suffered 23 by private homeowners which was not covered by private insurance 24 and Federal and State grants; and be it further 25 RESOLVED, That this committee be appointed by the Speaker of 26 the House and be composed of four members of the majority party 27 and three members of the minority party, that it have the power 28 to call witnesses and to require the production of documents, 29 and that it have the power to hire a staff and reimburse the 30 staff from the budget of the Chief Clerk of the House of 19860H0304R3581 - 2 -
1 Representatives in an amount not to exceed $50,000; and be it 2 further 3 RESOLVED, That all expenditures from the $50,000 shall be 4 authorized by a majority vote of the committee and the chairman 5 shall make a monthly report of all such expenditures to each 6 member of the committee; and be it further 7 RESOLVED, That the committee report its findings and submit 8 all expenses to the House of Representatives no later than 9 September 1, 1986. E29L82RLC/19860H0304R3581 - 3 -