Patrick McHenryChairman

Washington, July 20, 2011 - The Financial Services Committee approved legislation sponsored by Chairman Spencer Bachus today to equip new manufactured homes with NOAA weather radios so residents can receive earlier storm warnings. The bill was approved by a voice vote.

The bill, C.J.’s Home Protection Act (H.R. 1751), is named in honor of C.J. Martin, a two-year-old who died in 2005 when a tornado struck his family’s mobile home community in Evansville, Indiana.  The family could not hear a storm siren and did not have a weather radio.  C.J.’s mother Kathryn helped pass an Indiana state law requiring the manufacturing housing industry to install NOAA weather radios in all newly-built units.

“This bill will help save lives and prevent injuries,” said Chairman Bachus.  “It will provide more families with an opportunity to receive severe storm alerts.  We cannot prevent tornadoes or severe storms, but we can provide families with an inexpensive tool they need to seek shelter.”

C.J.’s Home Protection Act requires NOAA weather radios to be installed in manufactured homes built or sold in the United States.  The weather radios provide immediate broadcasts of severe weather warnings, including tornado and flood warnings and watches. 

The Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction over manufactured housing standards.