The House Committee on Financial Services issued a release that reports Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) introduced legislation to prevent the removal or demolition of storm shelters built to protect school children after the devastating tornadoes in Alabama this past spring. Bachus authored the Community Shelter Protection Act of 2011 in response to a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regulation that would force cash-strapped schools to choose between purchasing the storm shelters or having them removed or demolished.  H.R. 2919 is a bill cosponsored by Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-4), Congressman Jo Bonner (AL-1), Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-5), Congressman Mike Rogers (AL-3), and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-7).  “This misguided policy could put the safety of school children and citizens in communities across Alabama at risk.  It is an example of regulation from Washington gone amok.  Our local school administrators are rightfully alarmed by this rule.  Taxpayers have spent money to build these shelters and it would be ridiculous to spend more taxpayer money to tear them down,” said Bachus.

(Graphic credit: House Financial Services Committee)