,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bga ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #aa1 #bjac ,mr4 ,begich introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to improve ,arctic health4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,better ,health in the ,arctic ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states is an ,arctic nation with-- 7,a7 an approximately #gjj-mile border on the ,arctic ,ocean2 7,b7 more than #ajj1jjj1jjj acres of land above the ,arctic ,circle2 and 7,c7 an even broader area that is defined as ,arctic by temperature1 including the ,bering ,sea and ,aleutian ,islands4 7#b7 ,the ,arctic region of the ,united ,states-- 7,a7 is known to the indigenous population as ,inuvikput1 or the place where we live2 and 7,b7 is home to an indigenous population that has subsisted for millennia on the abundance of marine mammals1 fish1 and wildlife1 many species of which are unique to the ,arctic region4 7#c7 ,since #aiei1 temperatures in the ,arctic region of the ,united ,states have warmed by #c to #d degrees ,celsius1 a rate of increase more than twice the global average4 ,the ,arctic ice pack is rapidly diminishing and thinning1 and the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration estimates the ,arctic ,ocean may be ice free during the summer months in as few as #cj years4 7#d7 ,these changes are having a significant impact on the communities and ecosystems of the indigenous people of the ,arctic1 and the marine mammals1 fish1 and wildlife upon which the indigenous population depends4 7#e7 ,the negative impacts of climate change include health problems1 which are even more exacerbated among indigenous people of the ,north4 7#f7 ,northern people have shorter life expectancy and increased mortality related to suicide and injuries1 when compared to populations living in more moderate climates4 7#g7 ,among the greatest health disparities affecting ,arctic people are higher rates of alcohol abuse1 ,fetal ,alcohol ,spectrum ,disorder 7,,fasd71 diabetes1 high blood pressure1 injury1 and cancer4 ,the ,,fasd prevalence rate among ,alaska ,native people 7#d4h7 is #ca_/b times that for all ,alaskans 7#a4d74 7#h7 ,rates of suicide in ,alaska are among the highest in the ,nation1 with the suicide rate among ,alaska ,native people about #c times that of non-,native ,alaskans and #d times that of the national average of the ,united ,states4 7#i7 ,alaska ,native children are more than twice as likely to live in poverty than ,alaskans of other races1 #be4g percent compared to #aj4i percent4 7#aj7 ,it is unclear why many of these health problems are greater among northern people or whether the health problems are related to toxic influences1 socioeconomic status1 cultural change1 distance from sophisticated medical care1 or other factors4 7#aa7 ,more research is necessary into the causes of disparities in rates of particular public health problems in the ,arctic and intervention into the prevention and treatment of these problems4 #c4 ,study of mental1 behavioral1 and physical health issues1 including alcohol abuse1 in the ,arctic 7a7 ,study authorized ,the ,arctic ,research ,commission established under section #ajc of the ,arctic ,research and ,policy ,act of #aihd 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #dajb7 shall1 in collaboration with ,federal health agencies1 directly or through contract1 prepare and submit to ,congress a #b-year study to examine the science base1 gaps in knowledge1 and strategies for the prevention and treatment of mental1 behavioral1 and physical health problems1 including alcohol abuse1 faced by populations in the ,arctic1 with a focus on ,alaska4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section a total of #a1bjj1jjj for fiscal years #bjad and #bjae4 #d4 ,national ,arctic ,health ,science ,policy 7a7 ,updating #aihd policy ,the ,director of the ,national ,institutes of ,health shall1 in collaboration with other governmental agencies and private and nonprofit entities involved in ,arctic health issues1 develop a national ,arctic health science policy4 ,in developing the policy1 the ,director shall review and take into consideration the ,national ,arctic ,health ,science ,policy developed by the ,american ,public ,health ,association ,task ,force in #aihd4 7b7 ,desk for ,arctic ,health ,section #dja7;c7 of the ,public ,health ,services ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bha7;c77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,desk for ,arctic ,health 7,a7 ,establishment ,within the ,division1 there is established a ,desk for ,arctic ,health4 7,b7 ,duties ,the ,desk for ,arctic ,health shall-- 7i7 work with the ,interagency ,arctic ,research ,policy ,committee established under section #ajg7;b7 of the ,arctic ,research and ,policy ,act of #aihd 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #dajf7;b77 to ensure adequate health representation from ,federal agencies2 7ii7 collaborate and consult with governmental entities and ,united ,states nongovernmental organizations involved in ,arctic health issues1 including the ,state of ,alaska1 ,university of ,alaska1 and entities that handle issues regarding the health of the indigenous people of the ,arctic2 and 7iii7 collaborate with the ,canadian ,institutes of ,health ,research on indigenous ,arctic people health issues1 in accordance with the #bjjd agreement between the ,national ,institutes of ,health and the ,canadian ,institutes of ,health ,research1 and with other international entities dealing with pan-,arctic health issues4 4 #e4 ,arctic health impact assessments ,part ,p of title ,,iii of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bhj;g et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #cii,v-#f4 ,arctic health impact assessments 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the health impact assessment process can be a valuable tool for better ,arctic health by objectively evaluating the potential health benefits and risks of a project or policy before the project or policy is built or put into place4 7#b7 ,health impact assessments can provide recommendations to increase positive health outcomes and minimize adverse health outcomes4 7#c7 ,a major benefit of the health impact assessment process is that it brings public health issues to the attention of people who make decisions about areas that fall outside traditional public health arenas1 such as transportation or land use4 7b7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 shall establish a program at the ,national ,center of ,environmental ,health of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention to foster advances and help provide technical support in the field of ,arctic health impact assessments4 7c7 ,definition of health impact assessments ,in this section1 the term health impact assessment means a combination of procedures1 methods1 and tools by which a policy1 program1 or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population1 and the distribution of those effects within the population4 4