IB 
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) in-
troduced 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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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 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 Security 
Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the following 
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 cli-
mate change on homeland security to identify areas 
for additional research and development pursuant to 
paragraph (2) with respect to— 
‘‘(A) any connection between climate change 
and homeland security, including how the result-
ing competition for resources, economic distress, 
and social discontent has contributed to, among 
other outcomes, acts of terrorism; 
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‘‘(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 aggravated 
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 security 
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 com-
petition for resources, economic distress, and social 
discontent can contribute to, among other outcomes, 
acts of terrorism. 
‘‘(2) The degree to which climate change is re-
flected in terrorism preparedness and emergency 
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planning and policies, including with respect to pre-
paredness, response to, and recovery from natural dis-
asters. 
‘‘(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 recovering 
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 consult 
with the heads of other relevant agencies and departments 
of the Federal Government, first responders, and relevant 
owners and operators of critical infrastructure. 
‘‘(d) CLIMATE CHANGE DEFINED.—The term ‘climate 
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 atmos-
phere.’’. 
(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.’’. 
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