Full Court Press for CBCAG Act

Code Council representatives are converging on Washington‚ D.C.‚ to rally Congressional support for the Community Building Code Administrative Grant (CBCAG) Act. The legislation passed the House of Representatives on a voice vote and the Senate version of the bill is now being considered by the Committee on Banking‚ Housing‚ and Urban Affairs. When enacted and funded‚ the CBCAG Act will provide competitively evaluated federal grants‚ locally matched‚ to jurisdictions who seek to build-up their local building and fire code administration and enforcement capabilities.
ICC representatives are currently focusing their lobbying efforts on minority members of the Banking Committee to gain their support for the CBCAG Act. Meetings have been held on Capitol Hill with Senators Bob Bennett (R-UT) and Mel Martinez (R-FL)‚ and another is scheduled today with Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) is the ranking member on the Banking Committee, and Code Council stakeholders are encouraged to call or write his office urging his support of the CBCAG Act.






Lieberman Joins List of Cosponsors

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) has joined the list of Congressional supporters of the CBCAG Act. Lieberman is chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and serves on two subcommittees of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Lieberman and Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) are cosponsors of the Senate’s version of the legislation that was introduced by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA). The House version of the bill‚ introduced by Representative Dennis Moore (D-KS)‚ had 24 cosponsors and recently passed on a voice vote.

House Passes CBCAG Act

The Community Building Code Administration Grant (CBCAG) Act reached a milestone when members of the U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation on a voice vote. Typically‚ legislation that is not considered controversial is referred to a voice vote and recorded as passing with a two-thirds majority. CBCAG Act sponsor Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS) presented the bill and Rep. Shelley Capito (R-WV) spoke in support for the minority.

“We are very excited that the House of Representatives has passed the CBCAG Act‚” said Code Council CEO Rick Weiland. “This legislation provides desperately needed resources to many vulnerable communities that do not have the trained personnel or tools to translate safety codes into proper compliance. With the bill moving through the Senate‚ we are inching closer to the major goal of supporting our First Preventers in the vital roles they play in protecting the public through implementation of building and fire safety.”

“Government at all levels is recognizing the central role in public safety preformed by code adoption and code compliance‚” said Steve Shapiro‚ President of the Code Council Board of Directors and himself a code official in Virginia. “The safety value of building and fire codes as well as the essential job done by code officials‚ America’s First Preventers‚ to prevent harm to people and property come into sharper focus when lawmakers consider how best to protect the public at home‚ at school‚ at work and at play.”

The legislation now goes to the Senate‚ where it is expected to be referred to the Banking Committee and where the Senate’s version of the bill is now being considered. The Banking Committee could act on the House or Senate version of the bill before it passes out of committee and goes to the full Senate for a vote.

“Now that the CBCAG Act has been passed by the House of Representatives‚ we encourage all of our nation’s First Preventers and local organizations to continue their effective mobilization of grassroots support for the legislation‚” said Sara Yerkes‚ Code Council Senior Vice President for Government Relations. “Please contact your senators and other government leaders and urge them to support this important legislation that will improve code compliance and greatly strengthen public safety in communities nationwide.”

The Full Story can be found at: Full Story At: http://www.iccsafe.org/government/congressional/code-grant/

The Community Building Code Administration Grant Act of 2007



The Code Council has been working across the country to enhance the public awareness of the role of America’s building and fire code officials. These dedicated professionals are at work daily but are not always as visible or publicly recognized and appreciated as other public safety officials.

Our efforts to raise the visibility of code officials on Capitol Hill are focused on the Community Building Code Administration Grant Act (CBCAG). The CBCAG Act was introduced on December 12, 2007 as S. 2458 by Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, and as H.R. 4461 by Congressman Dennis Moore of Kansas. This legislation will authorize a grant program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. When enacted and funded, the CBCAG will provide competitively evaluated federal grants, locally matched, to jurisdictions who seek to build-up their local building and fire code administration and enforcement capabilities.

The Code Council encourages you to review this bill and briefing materials presented below. To take individual action in support of the adoption of the CBCAG, please use the link below to our web-based tool that will assist you in preparing a letter to Congress, complete with sample text. For group or community action, a sample resolution for adoption and transmittal to Congress is available.

The Full Story can be found at: Full Story At: http://www.iccsafe.org/government/congressional/code-grant/

Read the rest...