House Passes CJ’s Home Protection Act

From: Congressman Brad Ellsworths Office: House Passes CJ’s Home Protection Act Bill to Require Weather Radios in Manufactured Homes Advances to the Senate WASHINGTON – A bill requiring manufactured and mobile homes to be equipped with weather radios received broad bipartisan support in the House of Representatives today. CJ’s Home Protection Act was introduced by Reps. Brad Ellsworth (IN), Spencer Bachus (AL), Dennis Moore (KS) and Kay Granger (TX) in June. “CJ Martin is the reason we are here today. He is a reminder of the destruction that comes to families and communities when severe weather strikes without warning,” said Ellsworth, who was the Vanderburgh County Sheriff during the tornado. “Severe weather doesn’t distinguish between Republicans and Democrats. It doesn’t care whether you live in Indiana or Alabama or Kansas or California. This is public safety legislation the Senate should support, because if we prevent just one mother from losing her son, a $30 weather radio is not too much to ask.” CJ’s Home Protection Act would change the Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards to require every manufactured home delivered for sale to be supplied with a weather radio. Weather radios provide immediate broadcasts of severe weather warnings and civil emergency messages, including tornado and flood warnings, AMBER alerts for child abductions, and chemical spill notifications. Prices range from $20-$80. “I’m thrilled CJ’s Home Protection Act has passed the House and am hopeful it will soon be signed into law,” said Congresswoman Granger. “The built-in technology this bill would provide would ensure that people are getting the information they need before a severe local storm system hits. This will help save hundreds of lives and prevent needless, tragic deaths.” “By passing CJ’s Home Protection Act and providing emergency weather radios for folks living in manufactured homes, we can give residents the early warning they need to prepare for severe storms and protect their families from danger. I commend Congressman Brad Ellsworth for his bipartisan leadership to protect American families with this commonsense bill. We may not be able to stop tornadoes or other hazards, but together we can lessen the impact of these deadly storms on our communities in the future,” said Congressman Moore. The bill is named after CJ Martin, a two-year-old boy, whose life was taken by an F3 tornado in Southwest Indiana in 2005. Ellsworth was the Sheriff of Vanderburgh County when the tornado hit and oversaw the recovery effort in its aftermath. CJ’s mother, Kathryn, turned her grief into a state-wide advocacy campaign that resulted in an Indiana law requiring National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radios be installed in all new mobile and manufactured housing. The two teamed up to push for this federal initiative. Passage by the House is only the first step in the process. CJ’s bill will next go to the Senate for its consideration. Upon passage in the Senate, the bill must then be signed by President Bush before becoming law.