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Union Calendar No. 298 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4737 

[Report No. 116–375] 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary 

for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security 

to research and evaluate existing Federal research regarding approaches 

to mitigate climate change on homeland security to identify areas for 

further research within the Department, research and develop approaches 

to mitigate the consequences of climate change on homeland security, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 18, 2019 

Ms. CLARKE of New York (for herself and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Homeland Security 

JANUARY 10, 2020 

Additional sponsor: Ms. UNDERWOOD

JANUARY 10, 2020 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on October 18, 2019] 


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•HR 4737 RH

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require 

the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the 

Department of Homeland Security to research and evaluate existing Federal research regarding approaches to 

mitigate climate change on homeland security to identify 

areas for further research within the Department, research and develop approaches to mitigate the consequences of climate change on homeland security, and 

for other purposes. 


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•HR 4737 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Home5 land Security Climate Change Research Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CLIMATE CHANGE PLANNING, RESEARCH AND DE7 VELOPMENT, AND PROTECTION AND PRE8 PAREDNESS. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Security 

10 Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the following 

11 new section: 

12 ‘‘SEC. 321. CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOP13 MENT. 

14 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary for Science 

15 and Technology— 

16 ‘‘(1) shall evaluate existing Federal research re17 garding approaches to mitigate the consequence of cli18 mate change on homeland security to identify areas 

19 for additional research and development pursuant to 

20 paragraph (2) with respect to— 

21 ‘‘(A) any connection between climate change 

22 and homeland security, including how the result23 ing competition for resources, economic distress, 

24 and social discontent has contributed to, among 

25 other outcomes, acts of terrorism; 


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•HR 4737 RH

1 ‘‘(B) the degree to which climate change is 

2 reflected in terrorism preparedness and emer3 gency planning and policies, including with re4 spect to preparedness, response to, and recovery 

5 from natural disasters; and 

6 ‘‘(C) the degree to which the Federal fund7 ing structure to respond to major disaster dec8 larations and emergency declarations is ade9 quately structured to meet the demands of re10 sponding to and recovering from acts of ter11 rorism and natural disasters that are aggravated 

12 by climate change; and 

13 ‘‘(2) shall, to the extent practicable, conduct re14 search and development on approaches to mitigate the 

15 consequences of climate change on homeland security 

16 in response to finding pursuant to paragraph (1). 

17 ‘‘(b) SCOPE.—The scope of the research and develop18 ment under subsection (a)(2) shall include the following: 

19 ‘‘(1) Any connection between climate change and 

20 homeland security, including how the resulting com21 petition for resources, economic distress, and social 

22 discontent can contribute to, among other outcomes, 

23 acts of terrorism. 

24 ‘‘(2) The degree to which climate change is re25 flected in terrorism preparedness and emergency 


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•HR 4737 RH

1 planning and policies, including with respect to pre2 paredness, response to, and recovery from natural dis3 asters. 

4 ‘‘(3) The degree to which the Federal funding 

5 structure to respond to major disaster declarations 

6 and emergency declarations is adequately structured 

7 to meet the demands of responding to and recovering 

8 from acts of terrorism and natural disasters that are 

9 aggravated by climate change. 

10 ‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, the 

11 Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall consult 

12 with the heads of other relevant agencies and departments 

13 of the Federal Government, first responders, and relevant 

14 owners and operators of critical infrastructure. 

15 ‘‘(d) CLIMATE CHANGE DEFINED.—The term ‘climate 

16 change’ refers to detectable changes in one or more climate 

17 system components that is directly or indirectly attributed 

18 to— 

19 ‘‘(1) human activity; and 

20 ‘‘(2) altering the composition of the global atmos21 phere.’’. 

22 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in 

23 section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 

24 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 320 

25 the following new item: 

‘‘Sec. 321. Climate change research and development.’’. 


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1 SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

2 Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 

3 of this Act and annually thereafter for three years, the 

4 Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Depart5 ment of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee 

6 on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 

7 the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 

8 Affairs of the Senate a report on any research and develop9 ment activities carried out pursuant to section 321 of the 

10 Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by this Act. 


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Union Calendar No. 298 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4737 

[Report No. 116–375] 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 

homeland security, and for other purposes. gate the consequences of climate change on ment, research and develop approaches to mitiareas for further research within the Departmate change on homeland security to identify research regarding approaches to mitigate clicurity to research and evaluate existing Federal Technology of the Department of Homeland Serequire the Under Secretary for Science and 

JANUARY 10, 2020 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


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