January 29, 2025
Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Gallego) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
To reduce the health risks of heat by establishing the National Integrated Heat Health Information System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee to improve extreme heat preparedness, planning, and response, 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 Coordinated Federal Response to Extreme Heat Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Extreme heat
The term extreme heat means heat that substantially exceeds local temperature norms in terms of any combination of the following:
(A)
Duration.
(B)
Intensity.
(C)
Season length.
(D)
Frequency.
(2) Heat
The term heat means any combination of the atmospheric parameters associated with modulating human thermoregulation, such as air temperature, humidity, solar exposure, and wind speed.
(3) Heat event
The term heat event means an occurrence of extreme heat of 2 days or more that may have heat-health implications.
(4) Heat-health
The term heat-health means health effects to humans from heat, during or outside of heat events, including from vulnerability and exposure, or the risk of such effects.
(5) Planning
The term planning means activities performed across timescales (including days, weeks, months, years, and decades) with scenario-based, probabilistic or deterministic information to identify and take actions to proactively mitigate heat-health risks.
(6) Preparedness
The term preparedness means activities performed across timescales with decision support tools to manage risk in advance of a heat event and increased ambient temperature.
(7) Tribal government
The term Tribal government means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or component reservation, individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of the date of enactment of this Act pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
Sec. 3. National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee
(a) Establishment of committee
There is established within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration an interagency committee, to be known as the National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee
(in this section referred to as the Committee
).
(b) Purpose
The Committee shall coordinate agencies represented on the Committee to execute, as appropriate, activities across such agencies to ensure a united Federal approach to reducing health risks from heat.
(c) Membership
(1) In general
In order to carry out and achieve the purpose described in subsection (b), the Committee shall include the following:
(A)
The Director of the National Integrated Heat Health Information System.
(B)
Not fewer than 1 representative from each of the following:
(i)
From the Department of Commerce, the following:
(I)
From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the following:
(aa)
The National Weather Service.
(bb)
The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.
(cc)
The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service.
(II)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(III)
The Bureau of the Census.
(ii)
From the Department of Health and Human Services, the following:
(I)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
(II)
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Preparedness and Response.
(III)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
(IV)
The National Institutes of Health.
(V)
The Indian Health Service.
(iii)
From the Department of the Interior, the following:
(I)
The Bureau of Indian Affairs.
(II)
The Bureau of Land Management.
(III)
The National Park Service.
(IV)
The Office of Hawaiian Relations.
(iv)
From the Environmental Protection Agency, the following:
(I)
The Office of Air and Radiation, if the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines appropriate.
(II)
The Office of Research and Development, if the Administrator determines appropriate.
(III)
The Office of International and Tribal Affairs.
(v)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(vi)
The Department of Defense.
(vii)
The Department of Agriculture.
(viii)
The Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(ix)
The Department of Transportation.
(x)
The Department of Energy.
(xi)
The Department of Labor, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
(xii)
The Department of Veteran Affairs.
(xiii)
The Department of Education.
(xiv)
The Department of State.
(xv)
The United States Agency for International Development.
(xvi)
Such other Federal agencies as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere considers appropriate.
(2) Selection of representatives
The head of an agency specified in paragraph (1)(B) shall, in appointing representatives of the agency to the Committee, select representatives who have expertise in areas relevant to the responsibilities of the Committee, such as weather prediction, health impacts, behavioral science, public health hazard preparedness and response, or mental health services.
(3) Co-chairs
(A) In general
The members of the Committee shall select 3 individuals from among such members to serve as co-chairs of the Committee, subject to the approval of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
(B) Selection
(i) Initial selection
Of the co-chairs first selected, one shall be from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one shall be from the Department of Health and Human Services, and one shall be from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(ii) Subsequent selection
Subsequent co-chairs shall be selected from among the members of the Committee, except the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall have the opportunity to maintain a co-chair position.
(C) Terms
Each co-chair shall serve for a term of not more than 5 years.
(D) Responsibilities of co-chairs
The co-chairs of the Committee shall, in consultation with the Director of the National Integrated Heat Health Information System—
(i)
determine the agenda of the Committee, in consultation with other members of the Committee;
(ii)
direct the work of the Committee; and
(iii)
convene meetings of the Committee not less frequently than once each fiscal quarter.
(d) Responsibilities of Committee
The Committee shall coordinate an integrated, Federal Government-wide approach to reducing health risks and impacts of heat, including by—
(1)
developing the strategic plan required by subsection (e);
(2)
coordinating across Federal agencies on heat-health communication, engagement, research, service delivery, and workforce development; and
(3)
building capacity and partnerships with Federal and non-Federal entities.
(e) Strategic plan
(1) In general
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Committee shall submit to Congress and make available on a public website a 5-year strategic plan that outlines the goals and projects of the Committee, including how the Committee will improve coordination and integration of interagency Federal capacity and capabilities to address health risks of heat, including—
(A)
a strategy for improving and coordinating existing Federal data collection and data management to include sharing of data and statistics on heat-related illnesses and mortalities and other impacts to inform heat-related activities;
(B)
a strategy for improving and coordinating Federal activities to understand user gaps and needs, conduct research, foster innovative solutions, and provide actionable information and services; and
(C)
mechanisms for financing heat planning and preparedness within such agencies as the Committee considers appropriate.
(2) Implementation
The head of an agency represented on the Committee may implement the portions of the strategic plan required by paragraph (1) that are relevant to that agency.
(3) Updates
Not later than 5 years after the submission of the strategic plan required by paragraph (1), and every 5 years thereafter, the Committee shall brief Congress on an update of the plan, which shall include progress made toward goals outlined in the previous plan and new priorities that emerge.
(f) Consultation
In carrying out the responsibilities of the Committee, the Committee shall consult with relevant—
(1)
regional, State, Tribal, and local governments;
(2)
international organizations and partners;
(3)
research institutions;
(4)
nongovernmental organizations and associations;
(5)
medical experts with expertise in emergency response; and
(6)
environmental health, economic or business development, or other stakeholders.
Sec. 4. National Integrated Heat Health Information System
(a) Establishment
The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall establish within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a system, to be known as the National Integrated Heat Health Information System
(NIHHIS) (in this section referred to as the System
).
(b) Purpose
The purpose of the System is to reduce heat-related impacts by—
(1)
improving the delivery of data, information, forecasts, warnings, predictions, and projections related to temperature and extreme heat and related impacts;
(2)
through the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, developing science-based solutions and tools to improve impact-based decision support services for heat impacts to human life, property, and the United States economy; and
(3)
supporting a research program on heat health, in coordination with the agencies represented on the National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee.
(c) Data management
(1) Availability
The data and metadata associated with the System shall be fully and openly available, within the legal right to redistribute, in accordance with chapter 31 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Records Act of 1950
), and the Federal Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–435; 132 Stat. 5529) and the amendments made by that Act, to maximize use of such data to support the goals of the System.
(2) National Centers for Environmental Information
(A) In general
The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall manage, maintain, and steward archival data and metadata associated with the System within the National Centers for Environmental Information.
(B) Warning coordination meteorologist
The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall designate at least one warning coordination meteorologist, as described in section 405 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8545), at the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Sec. 5. Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out sections 3 and 4, including for any administrative costs for the National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee and the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.