Clinton drafting federal disaster relief

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, is drafting legislation to institute a federal program to help states that are hit by severe, Hurricane Katrina-like natural catastrophes, according to an e-mail received by The Hill.

Such a program would help homeowners in states including Florida, a presidential battleground that has grown even more important since state government moved its primary up to January.

The House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday approved national catastrophe legislation sponsored by two Florida Democrats, Reps. Ron Klein and Tim Mahoney. The bill would provide federal loans to states struck by severe natural disasters and allow state-sponsored insurance funds to bundle their risks with one another and sell the risk to investors.

The details of the Clinton legislation are unclear. The senator’s office did not respond for comment.