119-hr4515

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4515 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4515

 To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and 
 implement a program and national strategic action plan to prepare and 
empower the health care sector to protect the health and well-being of 
our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate 
 crisis, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 17, 2025

Ms. Matsui (for herself, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Carbajal, Ms. Barragan, Ms. 
Bonamici, Mr. Carson, Mr. Casten, Ms. Chu, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Cohen, Mr. 
Costa, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. 
 Norton, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Quigley, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. 
 Thanedar, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Tonko, and Mrs. Watson Coleman) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and 
 implement a program and national strategic action plan to prepare and 
empower the health care sector to protect the health and well-being of 
our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate 
 crisis, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Climate Change Health Protection and 
Promotion Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
 the Office.

    (2) Environmental justice community.--The term 
 ``environmental justice community'' means a community with 
 significant representation of communities of color, low-income 
 communities, or Tribal and Indigenous communities that 
 experiences, or is at risk of experiencing, higher or more 
 adverse human health or environmental effects.

    (3) Medically underserved community.--The term ``medically 
 underserved community'' has the meaning given such term in 
 

section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p).

    (4) National strategic action plan.--The term ``national 
 strategic action plan'' means the national strategic action 
 plan published pursuant to 

section 4

    (b)

    (1) .

    (5) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of 
 Climate Change and Health Equity established by 

section 4

    (a)

    (1) .

    (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Health and Human Services.

SEC. 3. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.

 Nothing in this Act limits the authority provided to or 
responsibility conferred on any Federal department or agency by any 
provision of any law (including regulations) or authorizes any 
violation of any provision of any law (including regulations), 
including any health, energy, environmental, transportation, or any 
other law or regulation.

SEC. 4. OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH EQUITY; NATIONAL STRATEGIC 
 ACTION PLAN.

    (a) Office of Climate Change and Health Equity.--

    (1) Establishment.--
        (A) In general.--There is established within the 
 Department of Health and Human Services the Office of 
 Climate Change and Health Equity.
        (B) === Purpose ===
-The purpose of the Office shall be to 
 facilitate a robust, Federal response to the impact of 
 climate change on the health of the American people and 
 the health care system.
            (C) Director.--There is established the position of 
 Director of the Office, who shall be the head of the 
 Office, and who shall report to the Secretary.

    (2) Activities.--The duties of the Office shall be to 
 address priority health actions relating to the health impacts 
 of climate change, including by doing each of the following, in 
 collaboration with other Federal agencies, as the Director 
 determines appropriate:
        (A) Contribute to assessments of how climate change 
 is affecting the health of individuals living in the 
 United States.
        (B) Understand the needs of the populations most 
 disproportionately affected by climate-related health 
 threats, including environmental justice communities 
 and medically underserved communities.
            (C) Serve as a credible source of information on 
 the physical, mental, and behavioral health 
 consequences of climate change.
            (D) Track data on environmental conditions, disease 
 risks, and disease occurrence related to climate 
 change.
        (E) Expand capacity for modeling and forecasting 
 health effects that may be climate-related.
        (F) Enhance the science base to better understand 
 the relationship between climate change and health 
 outcomes.
        (G) Communicate the health-related aspects of 
 climate change, including risks and associated costs 
 and ways to reduce them, to the public, decision-
 makers, public health professionals, and health care 
 providers.
        (H) Align Federal efforts to deploy climate-
 conscious human services and direct services to support 
 and protect populations disproportionately affected by 
 climate change, including environmental justice 
 communities and medically underserved communities.
            (I) Develop and distribute tools and resources to 
 support climate resilience for the health sector, 
 community-based organizations, and individuals.
        (J) Develop and implement preparedness and response 
 plans for health threats, such as heat waves, severe 
 weather events, and infectious diseases.
        (K) Lead efforts to reduce the greenhouse gas and 
 environmental impacts of the health sector, including 
 by developing and distributing tools and resources to 
 support health sector efforts to track and decrease 
 sectoral greenhouse gas emissions.
            (L) Provide leadership to State and local 
 governments, community leaders, health care 
 professionals, nongovernmental organizations, 
 environmental justice networks, faith-based 
 communities, the private sector, and the public, 
 regarding health protection from climate change 
 effects.
            (M) Develop partnerships with other government 
 agencies, the private sector, nongovernmental 
 organizations, and institutions of higher education, to 
 more effectively address the health aspects of climate 
 change.
        (N) Promote workforce development by helping to 
 ensure the training of a new generation of competent, 
 experienced public health and health care professionals 
 to respond to the health threats posed by climate 
 change.
        (O) Carry out other activities, as the Secretary 
 determines appropriate.

    (b) National Strategic Action Plan.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary, on the basis of the best 
 available science, and in consultation pursuant to paragraph

    (2) , shall publish a national strategic action plan to 
 coordinate effective deployment of Federal efforts to ensure 
 that public health and health care systems are prepared for and 
 can respond to the impacts of climate change on health in the 
 United States.

    (2) Consultation.--In developing or making any revision to 
 the national strategic action plan, the Secretary shall--
        (A) consult with the Director, the Administrator of 
 the Environmental Protection Agency, the Under 
 Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, the 
 Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
 Administration, the Director of the Indian Health 
 Service, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of 
 Defense, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other appropriate 
 Federal agencies, Tribal governments, and State and 
 local government officials; and
        (B) provide meaningful opportunity for engagement, 
 comment, and consultation with relevant public 
 stakeholders, particularly representatives of 
 populations disproportionately affected by climate 
 change, including environmental justice communities, 
 medically underserved communities, Tribal communities, 
 health care providers, public health organizations, and 
 scientists.

    (3) National strategic action plan components.--The 
 national strategic action plan shall include an assessment of, 
 and strategies to improve, the health sector capacity of the 
 United States to address the impacts of climate change, 
 including--
        (A) identifying, prioritizing, and engaging 
 communities and populations who are disproportionately 
 affected by, or at greatest risk for, exposures to 
 climate hazards;
        (B) addressing mental and physical health 
 disparities exacerbated by climate impacts to enhance 
 community health resilience;
            (C) identifying the link between environmental 
 injustice and vulnerability to the impacts of climate 
 change and prioritizing those who have been harmed by 
 environmental and climate injustice;
            (D) providing outreach and communication aimed at 
 public health and health care professionals and the 
 public to promote preparedness and response strategies;
        (E) tracking and assessing programs across Federal 
 agencies to advance research related to the impacts of 
 climate change on health;
        (F) identifying and assessing existing preparedness 
 and response strategies for the health impacts of 
 climate change;
        (G) prioritizing critical public health and health 
 care infrastructure projects;
        (H) providing modeling and forecasting tools of 
 climate change health impacts, including local impacts, 
 where feasible;
            (I) establishing academic and regional centers of 
 excellence;
        (J) recommending models for maintaining access to 
 health care during extreme weather;
        (K) providing technical assistance and support for 
 preparedness and response plans for the health threats 
 of climate change in States, municipalities, 
 territories, Indian Tribes, and developing countries;
            (L) addressing the impacts of greenhouse gas 
 emissions on the health of individuals living in the 
 United States;
            (M) tracking health care sector contributions to 
 greenhouse gas emissions and identifying actions to 
 reduce those emissions;
        (N) recommending new regulations or policies to 
 address identified gaps in the health system capacity 
 to effectively reduce emissions, reduce environmental 
 impact, and address climate change; and
        (O) developing, improving, integrating, and 
 maintaining disease surveillance systems and monitoring 
 capacity to respond to health-related impacts of 
 climate change, including on topics addressing--
            (i) water-, food-, and vector-borne 
 infectious diseases and climate change;
            (ii) pulmonary effects, including responses 
 to aeroallergens, infectious agents, and toxic 
 exposures;
            (iii) cardiovascular effects, including 
 impacts of temperature extremes;
            (iv) air pollution health effects, 
 including heightened sensitivity to air 
 pollution such as wildfire smoke;
            (v) reproductive health effects, including 
 access to reproductive health care;
            (vi) harmful algal blooms;
            (vii) mental and behavioral health impacts 
 of climate change;
            (viii) the health of migrants, refugees, 
 displaced persons, environmental justice 
 communities, medically underserved communities, 
 and other communities disproportionately 
 affected by climate change;
            (ix) the implications for communities and 
 populations vulnerable to the health effects of 
 climate change, as well as strategies for 
 responding to climate change within such 
 communities;
            (x) Tribal, local, and community-based 
 health interventions for climate-related health 
 impacts;
            (xi) extreme heat and weather events;
            (xii) decreased nutritional value of crops; 
 and
            (xiii) disruptions in access to routine and 
 acute medical care, public health programs, and 
 other supportive services for maintaining 
 health.
            (c) Periodic Assessment and Revision.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of first publication of the national strategic action plan, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall periodically assess, and 
revise as necessary, the national strategic action plan, to reflect new 
information collected, including information on--

    (1) the status of and trends in critical environmental 
 health indicators and related human health impacts;

    (2) the trends in and impacts of climate change on public 
 health;

    (3) advances in the development of strategies for preparing 
 for and responding to the impacts of climate change on public 
 health; and

    (4) the effectiveness of the implementation of the national 
 strategic action plan in protecting against climate change 
 health threats.
            (d) Implementation.--

    (1) Implementation through hhs.--The Secretary shall 
 exercise the Secretary's authority under this Act and other 
 Federal statutes to achieve the goals and measures of the 
 Office and the national strategic action plan.

    (2) Other public health programs and initiatives.--The 
 Secretary and Federal officials of other relevant Federal 
 agencies shall administer public health programs and 
 initiatives authorized by laws other than this Act, subject to 
 the requirements of such laws, in a manner designed to achieve 
 the goals of the Office and the national strategic action plan.

    (3) Health impact assessment.--
        (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
 identify proposed and current laws, policies, and 
 programs that are of particular interest for their 
 impact in contributing to or alleviating health burdens 
 and the health impacts of climate change.
        (B) Assessments.--Not later than 2 years after the 
 date of enactment of this Act, the head of each 
 relevant Federal agency shall--
            (i) assess the impacts that the proposed 
 and current laws, policies, and programs 
 identified under subparagraph
        (A) under their 
 jurisdiction have or may have on protection 
 against the health threats of climate change; 
 and
            (ii) assist State, Tribal, local, and 
 territorial governments in conducting such 
 assessments.

SEC. 5. ADVISORY BOARD.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall, pursuant to chapter 10 of 
title 5, United States Code, establish a permanent science advisory 
board to be composed of not less than 10 and not more than 20 members.

    (b) Appointment of Members.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall appoint the members of 
 the science advisory board from among individuals who--
        (A) are recommended by the President of the 
 National Academy of Sciences or the President of the 
 National Academy of Medicine; and
        (B) have expertise in essential public health and 
 health care services, including with respect to diverse 
 populations, climate change, environmental and climate 
 justice, and other relevant disciplines.

    (2) Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
 science advisory board includes members with practical or lived 
 experience with relevant issues described in paragraph

    (1)
        (B) .
            (c) Functions.--The science advisory board shall--

    (1) provide scientific and technical advice and 
 recommendations to the Secretary on the domestic and 
 international impacts of climate change on public health and 
 populations and regions disproportionately affected by climate 
 change, and strategies and mechanisms to prepare for and 
 respond to the impacts of climate change on public health;

    (2) advise the Secretary regarding the best science 
 available for purposes of carrying out the activities of the 
 Office and issuing the national strategic action plan; and

    (3) submit a report to Congress on its activities and 
 recommendations not later than 1 year after the date of 
 enactment of this Act and not less frequently than every year 
 thereafter.
            (d) Support.--The Secretary shall provide financial and 
administrative support to the board.

SEC. 6. CLIMATE CHANGE HEALTH PROTECTION AND PROMOTION REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall offer to enter into an 
agreement, including the provision of such funding as may be necessary, 
with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 
under which such National Academies will prepare periodic reports to 
aid public health and health care professionals in preparing for and 
responding to the adverse health effects of climate change that--

    (1) review scientific developments on health impacts and 
 health disparities of climate change;

    (2) evaluate the measurable impacts of activities 
 undertaken at the directive of the national strategic action 
 plan; and

    (3) recommend changes to the national strategic action 
 plan.

    (b) Submission.--The agreement under subsection

    (a) shall require a 
report to be submitted to Congress and the Secretary and made publicly 
available not later than 1 year after the first publication of the 
national strategic action plan, and every 4 years thereafter.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Office of Climate Change and Health Equity.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out 

section 4

    (a) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.

    (b) National Strategic Action Plan.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out 

section 4

    (b) $2,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2026, to remain available until expended.
            (c) Advisory Board.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary to carry out 

section 5 $500,000 for fiscal year 2026, to 
remain available until expended.
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