I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 744 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
to revise the policy of the Agency to address the threats of climate 
change, to include considerations of climate change in the strategic 
plan of the Agency, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 3, 2021 
Ms. CLARKE of New York (for herself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, 
Mr. COHEN, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. NORTON, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. 
LOWENTHAL, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. MORELLE, Ms. 
BARRAGA´N, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. WELCH, Mr. 
TONKO, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. CARSON, Mr. 
CASE, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. 
HUFFMAN, Mr. JONES, Mr. KILMER, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. 
MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. PORTER, Mr. SIRES, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mrs. 
DINGELL, and Ms. JAYAPAL) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency to revise the policy of the Agency to 
address the threats of climate change, to include consid-
erations of climate change in the strategic plan of the 
Agency, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘FEMA Climate 
Change Preparedness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Under the previous Administration, the 
term ‘‘climate change’’ was intentionally stripped 
from the Agency’s 2018–2022 Strategic Plan, de-
spite the mounting threat posed by climate change 
as a source of changing and increasing national dis-
aster risks. 
(2) It is the general consensus of the global sci-
entific community that— 
(A) the evidence of climate change is un-
equivocal; 
(B) anthropogenic greenhouse gas emis-
sions are the primary cause of climate change; 
and 
(C) as a direct result of climate change, 
sea levels are rising and extreme weather events 
are becoming more commonplace and severe. 
(3) The last 7 years have been the warmest 
years on record since the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration began recording global air 
temperatures in 1895. 
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(4) In 2020, there were a record total of 22 cli-
mate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion 
each to affect the United States—amounting to 5 
more disasters of such magnitude than each of the 
previous record years of 2011 and 2017. 
(5) It is the mission of FEMA to reduce the 
loss of life and property and protect our institutions 
from all hazards by leading and supporting the Na-
tion in a comprehensive, risk-based emergency man-
agement program of mitigation, preparedness, re-
sponse, and recovery. 
(6) It is detrimental to the mission of FEMA, 
and the Agency’s ability to follow its mandate, to ex-
plicitly or implicitly deny or ignore the existence of 
climate change or the implications of such on na-
tional security and national emergency management. 
(7) To fully and effectively carry out its man-
date, FEMA must comprehensively assess and incor-
porate the current and future natural disaster risks 
and impacts posed by climate change throughout the 
Agency’s policies, plans, programs, strategies, and 
operations. 
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SEC. 3. STATEMENTS OF INTENT AND POLICY. 
Section 101 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (5) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (6) by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) integrating, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, climate change adaptation planning and ac-
tions into the programs, policies, and operations of 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and 
‘‘(8) assisting State, local, volunteer, and pri-
vate partners in preparing for and mitigating the 
risks posed by climate change as listed in subsection 
(c)(2), as well as any other climate change risks.’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) CLIMATE CHANGE.—It is the policy of the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency to recognize that— 
‘‘(1) climate change is— 
‘‘(A) an irrefutable, multidimensional, and 
significant near and long-term threat to United 
States— 
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‘‘(i) homeland security; 
‘‘(ii) national security; and 
‘‘(iii) national disaster risk; and 
‘‘(B) primarily caused by anthropogenic 
greenhouse gas emissions; and 
‘‘(2) as a direct result of climate change, the 
United States faces the increased threat of— 
‘‘(A) changing, more frequent, and more 
severe extreme weather events; 
‘‘(B) rising natural hazard risk; 
‘‘(C) disruptions to or failure of critical in-
frastructure; 
‘‘(D) sea-level rise; 
‘‘(E) internal population displacement; 
‘‘(F) the spread of life-threatening dis-
eases; 
‘‘(G) rising annual disaster costs; and 
‘‘(H) disproportionately high risks and im-
pacts to low-income communities, communities 
of color, Tribal communities, and other front-
line communities.’’. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(13) CLIMATE
CHANGE.—The term ‘climate 
change’ means the long-term shifts in global and re-
gional climate patterns, and associated phenomena, 
that are occurring primarily as a result of anthropo-
genic greenhouse gas emissions. 
‘‘(14) SEA-LEVEL
RISE.—The term ‘sea-level 
rise’ means the local, regional, and global long-term 
trends in rising average sea levels that are occurring 
as a direct result of climate change and additional 
local factors such as land subsidence. 
‘‘(15) EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.—The term 
‘extreme weather events’ means historically rare or 
severe natural disasters such as heat waves, 
droughts, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. 
‘‘(16) FRONTLINE
COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘frontline community’ means a low-income commu-
nity, community of color, or Tribal community that 
is disproportionately impacted or burdened by cli-
mate change and associated phenomena.’’. 
SEC. 5. INCLUSION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN STRATEGIC 
PLAN. 
(a) CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall revise the 2018–2022 Strategic Plan to— 
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(1) ensure the text of such plan explicitly men-
tions climate change, in accordance with the policy 
of FEMA in section 101 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5121), as amended by section 3; and 
(2) address the implications of climate change 
on homeland security and near- and long-term na-
tional disaster risk, including emergency prepared-
ness, response, recovery, and mitigation. 
(b) FUTURE STRATEGIC PLANS.—Any strategic plan 
subsequent to the 2018–2022 Strategic Plan developed by 
FEMA shall— 
(1) explicitly mention climate change, in accord-
ance with the policy of FEMA under section 101 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121), as amended 
by section 3; and 
(2) address the implications of climate change 
on homeland security and near- and long-term na-
tional disaster risk, including emergency prepared-
ness, response, recovery, and mitigation, drawing 
upon findings and recommendations, once available, 
from the Climate Change Subcommittee described in 
section 6 and the assessment of climate change risks 
and preparedness described in section 7. 
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SEC. 6. NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL CLIMATE CHANGE 
SUBCOMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home-
land Security shall establish, as a subcommittee of the Na-
tional Advisory Council, the Climate Change Sub-
committee (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Sub-
committee’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Subcommittee shall consist of— 
(A) the Administrator of FEMA; 
(B) the Director of the United States Geo-
logical Survey of the Department of the Inte-
rior; 
(C) the Director of the Bureau of Safety 
and Environmental Enforcement of the Depart-
ment of the Interior; 
(D) the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere; 
(E) the Commanding Officer of the United 
States Army Corps of Engineers; 
(F) the Director of the Office of Homeland 
Security and Emergency Coordination of the 
Department of Agriculture; 
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(G) the Executive Director of the Federal 
Highway Administration of the Department of 
Transportation; 
(H) the Executive Director of the Federal 
Transit Administration of the Department of 
Transportation; 
(I) the Under Secretary of Energy of the 
Department of Energy; 
(J) the Commissioner of the Federal Hous-
ing Administration of the Department of Hous-
ing and Urban Development; 
(K) the Assistant Administrator of the Of-
fice of Land and Emergency Management of 
the Environmental Protection Agency; 
(L) the Acting Director of the Center for 
Preparedness and Response of the Department 
of Health and Human Services; 
(M) the National Climate Advisor of the 
Office of Domestic Climate Policy of the Execu-
tive Office of the President; 
(N) the Chair of the Environmental Jus-
tice Interagency Council of the Executive Office 
of the President; 
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(O) such other qualified individuals as the 
Administrator shall appoint as soon as prac-
ticable from among the following— 
(i) members of the National Advisory 
Council that have the requisite technical 
knowledge and expertise to address climate 
change threats to homeland security, in-
cluding— 
(I) emergency management and 
emergency response providers; 
(II) State, local, and Tribal gov-
ernment officials; 
(III) climate scientists and ex-
perts in natural disaster risk assess-
ment; and 
(IV) experts in climate change 
adaption, mitigation, and resilience; 
and 
(ii) individuals who have the requisite 
technical knowledge and expertise to serve 
on the Climate Change Subcommittee, in-
cluding at least 1 representative from each 
of— 
(I) an environmental justice or-
ganization 
representing 
low-income 
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communities and communities of color 
that are disproportionately impacted 
by climate change; 
(II) a Tribal community that is 
disproportionately impacted by climate 
change or environmental pollution; 
(III) an organized labor group 
within the resilient infrastructure sec-
tor; 
(IV) a private-sector company 
that designs, develops, or constructs 
resilient infrastructure, or an organi-
zation that represents such compa-
nies; 
(V) a city or county that is di-
rectly impacted by coastal sea-level 
rise; 
(VI) a State that is directly im-
pacted by coastal sea-level rise; 
(VII) a city or county that is 
highly 
impacted 
by 
wildfires 
or 
droughts; 
(VIII) a State that is highly im-
pacted by wildfires or droughts; 
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(IX) scientists with expertise in 
climate science and natural disaster 
risk assessment who are faculty mem-
bers at an accredited university; and 
(X) experts in homeland security 
threat assessment and intelligence 
analysis, especially as it concerns nat-
ural disasters; and 
(P) representatives of such other stake-
holders and interested and affected parties as 
the Administrator determines appropriate. 
(2) 
REPRESENTATION.—The 
Administrator 
shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that members 
of the Subcommittee represent a geographic (includ-
ing urban, rural, and coastal) and substantive diver-
sity of State, local, and Tribal government officials, 
emergency managers, and emergency response pro-
viders, scientific and technical experts, private-sector 
companies, and nongovernmental organizations. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Subcommittee shall ad-
vise the Administrator on how to best incorporate climate 
change, including risk assessments and strategies for ad-
aptation and mitigation, into and throughout FEMA’s 
policies, plans, programs, and operations, including 
through the performance of the following duties: 
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(1) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sub-
committee shall develop and submit to the Adminis-
trator and Congress, and make available to the pub-
lic, an assessment of all relevant FEMA policies, 
plans, programs, strategies, and operations with a 
focus on climate change-related risks, impacts, adap-
tation, preparedness, mitigation, and resilience. The 
assessment shall address— 
(A) existing and future risks and impacts 
posed by climate change to States, cities, and 
communities throughout the United States, in-
cluding the current and potential impacts of cli-
mate change on national emergency manage-
ment, annual disaster costs, and natural dis-
aster mitigation, preparedness, response, and 
recovery; 
(B) the extent to which climate change, in-
cluding risk assessments, resilience, adaptation, 
and mitigation, is currently integrated within 
FEMA policies, plans, programs, strategies, 
and operations, as well as the extent to which 
and areas where such integration is lacking; 
(C) the extent to which climate change, in-
cluding risk assessments, resilience, adaptation, 
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and mitigation, is currently incorporated into 
technical assistance, outreach, grant, and loan 
programs, as well as the extent to which and 
programs where such integration is lacking; 
(D) partnerships and coordination with 
Federal, State, and local agencies and authori-
ties, as well as volunteer and private entities; 
(E) data collection, management, and anal-
ysis; 
(F) 
recommendations 
regarding 
how 
FEMA can better incorporate climate change 
throughout FEMA policies, plans, programs, 
strategies, and operations, which shall ad-
dress— 
(i) risk assessments, including ways to 
more comprehensively predict and incor-
porate current and future risks as they re-
late to climate change; 
(ii) strategies to increase climate 
change adaptation, mitigation, and resil-
ience in communities throughout the 
United States; 
(iii) ways to ensure that investments 
and strategies around climate change ad-
aptation, mitigation, and resilience benefit 
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all communities, especially frontline com-
munities; 
(iv) critical information, communica-
tion, and policy gaps, barriers, and chal-
lenges; 
(v) technical assistance, outreach, 
grant, and loan programs, including ways 
that FEMA can use and expand such pro-
grams to increase climate change prepared-
ness throughout the emergency manage-
ment community, and strengthen climate 
change adaptation, mitigation, and resil-
ience across the United States, particularly 
in frontline communities; 
(vi) coordination with all relevant 
partners, including Federal, State, and 
local agencies and authorities, as well as 
private entities and volunteers; 
(vii) monitoring, recording, and ana-
lyzing FEMA actions, data management, 
and budget allocations to help advance cli-
mate resilience; 
(viii) methodologies for integrating 
and disseminating scientific knowledge of 
projected climate change impacts and 
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