,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #beaj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bh1 #bjba ,mr4 ,markey 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 and ,mr4 ,booker7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to reduce the health risks of heat by establishing the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program within the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration and the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,interagency ,committee to improve extreme heat preparedness1 planning1 and response1 requiring a study1 and establishing financial assistance programs to address heat effects1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,preventing ,health ,emergencies ,and ,temperature-related ,illness and ,deaths ,act of #bjba or the ,preventing ,,heat ,illness and ,deaths ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,environmental justice community ,the term environmental justice community means a community with significant representation of communities of color1 low-income communities1 or ,tribal and indigenous communities1 that experiences1 or is at risk of experiencing1 higher or more adverse human health or environmental effects1 as compared to other communities4 7#b7 ,extreme heat ,the term extreme heat means heat that exceeds local climatological norms in terms of any combination of the following3 7,a7 ,duration4 7,b7 ,intensity4 7,c7 ,season length4 7,d7 ,frequency4 7#c7 ,heat ,the term heat means any combination of the parameters associated with modulating human thermal regulation1 such as air temperature1 humidity1 solar exposure1 and wind speed4 7#d7 ,heat event ,the term heat event means an occurrence of extreme heat that may have heat-health implications4 7#e7 ,heat-health ,the term heat-health means health effects to humans from heat1 during or outside of heat events1 including from vulnerability and exposure1 or the risk of such effects4 7#f7 ,planning ,the term planning means activities performed across timescales 7including days1 weeks1 months1 years1 and decades7 with scenario-based1 probabilistic or deterministic information to identify and take actions to proactively mitigate heat-health risks from increased frequency1 duration1 and intensity of heat waves and increased ambient temperature4 7#g7 ,preparedness ,the term preparedness means activities performed across timescales 7including days1 weeks1 months1 years1 and decades7 with probabilistic or deterministic information to manage risk in advance of a heat event and increased ambient temperature4 7#h7 ,urban heat island ,the term urban heat island means the phenomenon observed in urbanized areas in which heat is more extreme than in the surrounding exurban areas and heat is heterogeneously distributed within urbanized areas1 due to factors including-- 7,a7 low albedo and impervious surfaces2 7,b7 low vegetation coverage2 and 7,c7 waste heat produced in urban areas4 #c4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,extreme heat events have been the leading cause of weather-related death in the ,united ,states over the last #cj years1 according to the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and the ,national ,weather ,service4 7#b7 ,the fourth ,national ,climate ,assessment1 mandated by the ,global ,change ,research ,act of #aiij 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #biba et seq471 finds that during the next few decades1 annual average temperature over the contiguous ,united ,states is projected to increase by a further #b4b;,f relative to current temperatures1 regardless of future scenarios4 ,the ,national ,climate ,assessment projects that the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events will increase in the future as global temperature increases4 7#c7 ,exposure to extreme heat can cause acute heat-related illnesses1 such as heat stroke1 which already result in more than #fe1jjj emergency room visits each year and exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses4 7#d7 ,heat poses the greatest health risks for adults older than #fe years of age1 pregnant people1 young children1 low-income communities1 urban communities1 communities with low air conditioning prevalence1 socially isolated individuals1 people with mental or physical disabilities1 people with underlying medical conditions1 agricultural or other outdoor workers1 workers without sufficient access to cooling1 athletes1 incarcerated individuals1 people experiencing homelessness1 and military personnel4 7#e7 ,increasingly common environmental exposures exacerbated by climate change1 such as extreme heat1 are significantly associated with serious adverse pregnancy outcomes across the ,united ,states4 ,those adverse pregnancy outcomes disproportionately impact ,black mothers4 7#f7 ,heat exposure is an issue of environmental justice1 as people living in low-income communities1 communities of color1 and ,tribal communities face a number of interacting factors that render them more vulnerable to extreme heat4 7#g7 ,the impacts of heat on human health are more severe in urban areas where land surface properties create an urban heat island1 particularly in neighborhoods with limited availability of or access to green spaces1 shade1 and tree cover1 higher density of building structures1 and more vehicular traffic4 7#h7 ,limited availability of tree cover and higher temperatures are correlated with low-income neighborhoods in urban areas4 ,in ,richmond1 ,virginia1 ,baltimore1 ,maryland1 and ,washington1 ,d4,c41 researchers found that heat risk is disproportionately distributed to communities of color in patterns associated with segregation and redlining4 7#i7 ,researchers have found that few communities in the ,united ,states have sufficient climate and health information1 guidance1 and resources for heat planning1 preparedness1 and response4 7#aj7 ,the risks associated with extreme heat have complex interactions and impacts1 and the management of those risks requires a transdisciplinary approach4 7#aa7 ,regions1 communities1 and populations that face the greatest health consequences of extreme heat often may experience the lowest heat risk perceptions1 have limited incentives1 or have access to the fewest resources for responding to extreme heat1 and as such1 may be less likely to take precautions4 7#ab7 ,research on the impacts of extreme heat on human health and the effectiveness of solutions under varying climate1 social1 and other contexts is stymied by a lack of access to reliable1 timely health observations and surveillance due to proprietary data rights1 expense1 privacy and security concerns1 inconsistent reporting of health outcomes and contributory factors1 poor data integration and interoperability1 few incentives and little systematic coordination to address those problems1 and a lack of adequate climate observation1 modeling1 and assessment in urban1 indoor1 and occupational settings4 7#ac7 ,integrated climate and health research and information1 when developed in a collaborative1 transdisciplinary manner1 can inform long- and medium-range scenario-based planning and decision making to protect vulnerable communities and populations from extreme heat1 reduce exposure to extreme heat1 and address factors that increase vulnerability4 7#ad7 ,heat action plans and early warning systems can reduce heat-related morbidity and mortality by clearly identifying roles and responsibilities as well as evidence-based actions and thresholds to enhance preparedness1 and by promoting behavior changes and actions taken by local governments1 communities1 and individuals through awareness and increased risk perception among those most vulnerable to the health impacts of heat4 #d4 ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,interagency ,committee 7a7 ,establishment of committee ,there is established within the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy an interagency committee1 to be known as the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,interagency ,committee 7in this section referred to as the ,committee74 7b7 ,purpose ,the ,committee shall coordinate1 plan1 and direct agencies represented on the ,committee to execute1 as appropriate1 activities across such agencies to ensure the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program established by section #e provides a united ,federal approach to reducing health risks from heat across timescales 7including days1 weeks1 months1 years1 and decades74 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,in order to carry out and achieve the purpose described in subsection 7b71 the ,committee shall include the following3 7,a7 ,the ,director of the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program4 7,b7 ,not fewer than #a representative from each of the following3 7i7 ,from the ,department of ,commerce1 the following3 7,i7 ,from the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 the following3 7aa7 ,the ,national ,weather ,service4 7bb7 ,the ,office of ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,research1 including the ,climate ,program ,office4 7,,ii7 ,the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology4 7,,iii7 ,the ,bureau of the ,census4 7ii7 ,from the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the following3 7,i7 ,the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 including the ,national ,institute for ,occupational ,safety and ,health4 7,,ii7 ,the ,office of the ,assistant ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services for ,preparedness and ,response4 7,,iii7 ,the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration4 7,,iv7 ,the ,national ,institutes of ,health4 7iii7 ,from the ,department of the ,interior1 the following3 7,i7 ,the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs4 7,,ii7 ,the ,bureau of ,land ,management4 7iv7 ,from the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 the following3 7,i7 ,the ,office of ,environmental ,justice4 7,,ii7 ,the ,office of ,air and ,radiation1 if the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency determines appropriate4 7,,iii7 ,the ,office of ,research and ,development1 if the ,administrator determines appropriate4 7v7 ,the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency4 7vi7 ,the ,department of ,defense4 7vii7 ,the ,occupational ,safety and ,health ,administration4 7viii7 ,the ,department of ,agriculture4 7ix7 ,the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 7x7 ,the ,department of ,transportation4 7xi7 ,the ,department of ,energy4 7xii7 ,such other ,federal agencies as the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy considers appropriate4 7#b7 ,selection of representatives ,the head of an agency specified in paragraph 7#a77;,b7 shall1 in appointing representatives of the agency to the ,committee1 select representatives who have expertise in areas relevant to the responsibilities of the ,committee1 such as weather and climate prediction1 health impacts1 environmental justice1 behavioral science1 public health hazard preparedness and response1 or mental health services4 7#c7 ,co-chairs 7,a7 ,in general ,the members of the ,committee shall select #b individuals from among such members to serve as co-chairs of the ,committee1 subject to the approval of the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy4 7,b7 ,selection 7i7 ,initial selection ,of the co-chairs first selected1 one co-chair shall be from the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration and one co-chair shall be from the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention4 7ii7 ,subsequent selection ,subsequent co-chairs shall be selected from among the members of the ,committee4 7,c7 ,terms ,each co-chair shall serve for a term of not more than #e years4 7,d7 ,responsibilities of co-chairs ,the co-chairs of the ,committee shall-- 7i7 determine the agenda of the ,committee1 in consultation with other members of the ,committee2 7ii7 direct the work of the ,committee2 7iii7 convene meetings of the ,committee not less frequently than once each fiscal quarter2 and 7iv7 if necessary1 establish a coordination office for the ,committee within the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4 7d7 ,responsibilities of committee ,the ,committee shall promote an integrated1 ,federal ,government-wide approach to reducing health risks and impacts of heat1 including by-- 7#a7 developing the strategic plan required by subsection 7e72 7#b7 overseeing the study required by section #f7;a77#a72 7#c7 coordinating across ,federal agencies on heat-health communication1 research1 service delivery1 and workforce development2 7#d7 building capacity and partnerships with ,federal and non-,federal entities2 and 7#e7 annually preparing a budget for the financial assistance program under section #g specifying how funds will be awarded by the ,director of the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program in alignment with the strategic plan required by subsection 7e77#a7 and in coordination with the climate and health research grant program under section #e7;d77#b74 7e7 ,strategic plan 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,committee shall submit to ,congress a #e-year integrated strategic plan that outlines the goals and projects of the ,committee1 including how the ,committee will-- 7,a7 improve coordination and integration of interagency ,federal actions to address health risks of heat2 7,b7 conduct the study required by section #f7;a77#a72 and 7,c7 oversee the program for providing financial assistance under section #g4 7#b7 ,updates ,not later than #e years after the submission of the strategic plan required by paragraph 7#a71 and every #e years thereafter1 the ,committee shall submit to ,congress an update of the plan1 which shall include progress made toward goals outlined in the plan and new priorities that emerge4 7#c7 ,public availability ,the ,committee shall make the strategic plan required by paragraph 7#a7 and updates to the plan required by paragraph 7#b7 available to the public on an internet website of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 with clear visuals indicating progress toward goals4 7f7 ,administrative support ,the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration shall provide technical and administrative support to the ,committee1 using amounts authorized to be appropriated to the ,administration4 7g7 ,consultation ,in carrying out the responsibilities of the ,committee1 the ,committee shall consult with relevant regional1 ,state1 ,tribal1 and local government agencies1 international organizations and partners1 research institutions1 nongovernmental organizations and associations1 and medical experts with expertise in emergency response1 environmental health1 economic or business development1 or community engagement4 #e4 ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established within the ,office of ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,research of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration a program1 to be known as the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the program established by subsection 7a7 is to improve the capacity of the ,united ,states to plan1 prepare for1 adapt to1 and mitigate health risks of extreme heat across multiple timescales4 7c7 ,director ,the ,program shall be headed by a ,director4 7d7 ,responsibilities ,in carrying out the purpose described in subsection 7b71 the ,director shall carry out the following responsibilities3 7#a7 ,implementation plan 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall implement the strategic plan required by section #d7;e77#a7 by developing and implementing a multi-year implementation plan4 7,b7 ,elements ,in developing and implementing the implementation plan under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,director shall focus on the following3 7i7 ,developing and sustaining robust relationships with climate1 public health1 environmental justice1 and other ,federal and non-,federal partners and decisionmakers-- 7,i7 to respond to the demand for actionable information that reduces health risks on multiple timescales2 and 7,,ii7 to develop and deliver timely and accessible decision support services1 tools1 and information to inform planning1 preparedness1 and risk-reducing actions across timescales4 7ii7 ,coordinating and collaborating with the international community and global partners to conduct research and learn from1 leverage1 and contribute to global knowledge4 7iii7 ,enhancing observations1 surveillance1 and monitoring necessary for the activities described in clauses 7i7 and 7ii74 7iv7 ,communicating1 educating1 and building awareness and capacity to address heat risk across communities1 sectors1 and timescales4 7v7 ,implementing and executing the grant program under paragraph 7#b7 and the financial assistance program under section 7#g74 7vi7 ,conducting the study required by section #f7;a77#a74 7#b7 ,grant program ,the ,director shall develop and implement a climate and health research grant program1 in coordination with the financial assistance program under section #g and other ,federal programs-- 7,a7 to improve understanding of-- 7i7 the climate epidemiology and social drivers of heat-health vulnerability and risk2 7ii7 the drivers of climate variability1 predictability1 and changes in extreme heat2 and 7iii7 the impacts of extreme heat and compound hazards across timescales2 7,b7 to investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of risk management actions1 interventions1 policies1 standards1 codes1 and guidelines2 and 7,c7 to address other topics as appropriate1 including topics outlined in the strategic plan required by section #d7;e77#a7 and relevant to the study required by section #f7;a77#a7 and the financial assistance program under section #g4 7#c7 ,additional activities ,the ,director shall carry out such other activities as the ,committee considers appropriate4 #f4 ,study on extreme heat information and response 7a7 ,study 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program shall1 in consultation with the entities described in section #d7;g71 complete a study on extreme heat information and response4 7#b7 ,oversight ,the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,interagency ,committee shall oversee the study required by paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,elements ,the study required by paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 identify policy and research gaps1 which may include-- 7i7 regions of the ,united ,states with the largest gaps between awareness1 preparedness1 and capacity to address extreme heat2 and 7ii7 heat-related gaps in data1 such as-- 7,i7 the number of schools1 prisons1 and other public facilities that lack air conditioning2 and 7,,ii7 the demographic breakdown of people affected by heat events1 including by race1 age1 gender1 occupation1 and income2 7,b7 provide recommendations for addressing gaps with respect to policy1 research1 operations1 communications1 and data1 including the gaps identified under subparagraph 7,a71 affecting heat-health planning1 preparedness1 response1 resilience1 adaptation1 and environmental justice and equity2 7,c7 provide such other recommendations as the ,director considers appropriate1 which may include strategies for-- 7i7 communicating warnings to and promoting resilience of populations vulnerable to extreme heat2 7ii7 effectively distributing extreme heat warnings1 including to individuals with limited ,english proficiency and individuals who are socially isolated or have other established barriers to such information2 7iii7 designing warnings described in clause 7ii7 to convey the urgency and severity of heat events and achieve behavior changes that reduce the mortality and morbidity of extreme heat effects1 without creating warning fatigue or confusion with other types of weather disaster warnings2 7iv7 understanding compound and cascading risks1 and implementing alternative heat-health risk reduction interventions to manage those risks collectively1 such as reducing risk of the transmission of infectious diseases during heat waves by creating outdoor cooling locations or increasing ventilation and filtration in indoor cooling centers2 7v7 promoting community resilience to heat events and incorporating principles of environmental justice in community response to heat waves2 7vi7 addressing the impacts of extreme heat on energy cost and availability2 and 7vii7 establishing labor and other standards for workers and heat2 and 7,d7 consider such other subjects as the ,committee considers appropriate1 which may include-- 7i7 the feasibility of enhancing existing nationwide data collection on heat-related illnesses and mortalities to improve and ensure consistent collection of national-level heat illness data across all #ej ,states1 territories1 and local jurisdictions of the ,united ,states2 7ii7 mechanisms for financing heat preparedness2 and 7iii7 the effectiveness of county- or local-level heat awareness and communication tools1 preparedness plans1 or mitigation4 7#d7 ,development of definitions ,in conducting the study required by paragraph 7#a71 the ,director shall work with heat and health experts to identify consistent and agreed upon definitions for heat events1 heat waves1 and other relevant terms4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #ij days after completing the study required by subsection 7a77#a71 the ,committee shall-- 7#a7 make available to the public on an internet website of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration a report on the findings and conclusions of the study2 and 7#b7 submit the report to-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate2 7,c7 the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,d7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,e7 the ,committee on ,education and ,labor of the ,house of ,representatives4 #g4 ,financial assistance for resilience in addressing extreme heat and health risks 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,establishment ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program may1 in coordination with the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,interagency ,committee1 establish and administer a community heat resilience program to provide financial assistance to eligible entities to carry out projects described in subsection 7e7 to ameliorate human health impacts of extreme heat events4 7#b7 ,revision ,upon completion of the strategic plan required by section #d7;e77#a71 the ,committee may revise the community heat resilience program to ensure the program aligns with the strategic plan and is administered in accordance with the plan4 7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the financial assistance provided under this section is to improve community resilience to heat and heat-health impacts and further scientific research to address adaptation gaps and priorities4 7c7 ,forms of assistance ,financial assistance provided under this section may be in the form of contracts1 grants1 or cooperative agreements4 7d7 ,eligible entities ,entities eligible to receive financial assistance under this section to carry out projects described in subsection 7e7 include-- 7#a7 nonprofit entities2 7#b7 ,states2 7#c7 ,tribes2 7#d7 local governments2 and 7#e7 such other entities as the ,director determines to be eligible4 7e7 ,eligible projects ,projects described in this subsection include the following3 7#a7 ,projects for cool roofs1 cool pavements1 urban forestry or tree plantings and maintenance1 the provision of shade1 cooling centers1 retrofitting buildings for cooling1 and acquisitions or upgrades of filtration systems or high-efficiency air conditioning systems4 7#b7 ,training programs to support the development and integration of education and training programs for identifying and addressing risks associated with climate change for vulnerable individuals4 7#c7 ,projects-- 7,a7 to expand public awareness of heat risks2 7,b7 to communicate risks and warnings to geographically1 socially1 and linguistically isolated communities2 7,c7 to educate such communities about how to respond to extreme heat events2 and 7,d7 to further scientific research regarding extreme heat events4 7#d7 ,other projects that the ,director determines will achieve a significant reduction in heat exposure or increased resilience to extreme heat events4 7f7 ,priorities ,in selecting eligible entities to receive financial assistance under this section1 the ,director shall prioritize entities that will carry out projects that provide benefits for historically disadvantaged communities and communities with significant heat disparities associated with race1 ethnicity1 or income4 7g7 ,distribution of assistance 7#a7 ,environmental justice and low-income communities ,not less than #dj percent of the amount of financial assistance provided under this section in any fiscal year shall be provided to eligible entities to implement projects described in subsection 7e7 in environmental justice communities or low-income communities4 7#b7 ,equitable distribution ,the ,director shall seek to equitably distribute financial assistance provided under this section based on geographic location or such other factors as the ,director determines appropriate4 7h7 ,matching requirement 7#a7 ,in general ,an entity that receives financial assistance to carry out a project under this section shall contribute1 from non-,federal sources1 funds for the project in such amount as the ,director determines appropriate4 7#b7 ,waiver ,the ,director may waive the requirement under paragraph 7#a7 for an entity if the ,director determines that the entity does not have adequate resources to meet the requirement4 7i7 ,reports ,the ,committee shall require the ,director to submit to the ,committee1 on an annual basis1 a report on actions1 outcomes1 research needs1 and data gaps under this section4 #h4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,interagency ,committee2 ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program2 study on extreme heat information and response ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration to carry out sections #d1 #e1 and #f1 including for any administrative costs for the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,interagency ,committee and the ,national ,integrated ,heat ,health ,information ,system ,program1 the following3 7#a7 ,for fiscal year #bjbb1 #bj1jjj1jjj4 7#b7 ,for fiscal year #bjbc1 #bj1jjj1jjj4 7#c7 ,for fiscal year #bjbd1 #bj1jjj1jjj4 7#d7 ,for fiscal year #bjbe1 #bj1jjj1jjj4 7#e7 ,for fiscal year #bjbf1 #bj1jjj1jjj4 7b7 ,financial assistance for resilience in addressing extreme heat and health risks ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration to carry out section #g the following3 7#a7 ,for fiscal year #bjbb1 #aj1jjj1jjj4 7#b7 ,for fiscal year #bjbc1 #aj1jjj1jjj4 7#c7 ,for fiscal year #bjbd1 #bj1jjj1jjj4 7#d7 ,for fiscal year #bjbe1 #cj1jjj1jjj4 7#e7 ,for fiscal year #bjbf1 #cj1jjj1jjj4