IIB 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4737 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
FEBRUARY 11, 2020 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs 
AN ACT 
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 evalu-
ate existing Federal research regarding approaches to 
mitigate climate change on homeland security to identify 
areas for further research within the Department, re-
search and develop approaches to mitigate the con-
sequences of climate change on homeland security, and 
for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Home-
land Security Climate Change Research Act’’. 
SEC. 2. CLIMATE CHANGE PLANNING, RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT, AND PROTECTION AND PRE-
PAREDNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 321. CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary for Science 
and Technology— 
‘‘(1) shall evaluate existing Federal research re-
garding approaches to mitigate the consequence of 
climate change on homeland security to identify 
areas for additional research and development pur-
suant to paragraph (2) with respect to— 
‘‘(A) any connection between climate 
change and homeland security, including how 
the resulting competition for resources, eco-
nomic distress, and social discontent has con-
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tributed to, among other outcomes, acts of ter-
rorism; 
‘‘(B) the degree to which climate change is 
reflected in terrorism preparedness and emer-
gency planning and policies, including with re-
spect to preparedness, response to, and recovery 
from natural disasters; and 
‘‘(C) the degree to which the Federal fund-
ing structure to respond to major disaster dec-
larations and emergency declarations is ade-
quately structured to meet the demands of re-
sponding to and recovering from acts of ter-
rorism and natural disasters that are aggra-
vated by climate change; and 
‘‘(2) shall, to the extent practicable, conduct re-
search and development on approaches to mitigate 
the consequences of climate change on homeland se-
curity in response to finding pursuant to paragraph 
(1). 
‘‘(b) SCOPE.—The scope of the research and develop-
ment under subsection (a)(2) shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) Any connection between climate change 
and homeland security, including how the resulting 
competition for resources, economic distress, and so-
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cial discontent can contribute to, among other out-
comes, acts of terrorism. 
‘‘(2) The degree to which climate change is re-
flected in terrorism preparedness and emergency 
planning and policies, including with respect to pre-
paredness, response to, and recovery from natural 
disasters. 
‘‘(3) The degree to which the Federal funding 
structure to respond to major disaster declarations 
and emergency declarations is adequately structured 
to meet the demands of responding to and recov-
ering from acts of terrorism and natural disasters 
that are aggravated by climate change. 
‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, 
the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall con-
sult with the heads of other relevant agencies and depart-
ments of the Federal Government, first responders, and 
relevant owners and operators of critical infrastructure. 
‘‘(d) CLIMATE CHANGE DEFINED.—The term ‘cli-
mate change’ refers to detectable changes in one or more 
climate system components that is directly or indirectly 
attributed to— 
‘‘(1) human activity; and 
‘‘(2) altering the composition of the global at-
mosphere.’’. 
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
320 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 321. Climate change research and development.’’. 
SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and annually thereafter for 3 years, the Under 
Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department 
of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on 
Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Af-
fairs of the Senate a report on any research and develop-
ment activities carried out pursuant to section 321 of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by this Act. 
Passed the House of Representatives February 10, 
2020. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
By ROBERT F. REEVES, 
Deputy Clerk. 
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