I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2888 
To help prevent emerging events exacerbated by climate change, which threat-
en national and international security, by enhancing United States Gov-
ernment capacities to prevent, mitigate, and respond to such events, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2021 
Mr. KEATING (for himself and Ms. KAPTUR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To help prevent emerging events exacerbated by climate 
change, which threaten national and international secu-
rity, by enhancing United States Government capacities 
to prevent, mitigate, and respond to such events, and 
for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Rapid Response to Cli-
mate Impacts Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CLIMATE IMPACTS TASK FORCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of State shall 
establish a Climate Impacts Task Force (referred to in 
this section as the ‘‘Task Force’’) with the mandate to— 
(1) monitor climate and related impacted social 
conditions to anticipate and prevent climate and en-
vironmental stressors from evolving into national se-
curity risks; 
(2) strengthen the efforts of the Department of 
State and the United States Government to act 
proactively to mitigate the human harms and poten-
tial for national security risks resulting from emerg-
ing events exacerbated by climate change; and 
(3) assist other Federal departments and agen-
cies, foreign partners, and multilateral organizations 
in their efforts to do the same. 
(b) LEADERSHIP.—The Secretary of State shall des-
ignate a senior career official, as appropriate, of the De-
partment of State to serve as the Chair of the Task Force. 
Such official shall report to the Secretary of State. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—Under the direction of the 
Chair, the Task Force shall— 
(1) meet regularly to ensure that events exacer-
bated by climate change and the risk of emerging 
events exacerbated by climate change throughout the 
world are adequately considered and addressed; 
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(2) facilitate the development and execution of 
policies and tools to enhance the capacity of the 
United States to prevent and respond to emerging 
events exacerbated by climate change worldwide; 
(3) monitor developments throughout the world 
that heighten the risk of emerging events exacer-
bated by climate change; 
(4) identify gaps in United States foreign policy 
related to the prevention of and response to emerg-
ing events exacerbated by climate change with re-
spect to certain regions or particular countries; 
(5) incorporate lessons learned from past 
United States efforts to prevent and respond to 
emerging events exacerbated by climate change and 
other impacts that are comparable in scope or sever-
ity; 
(6) provide the Secretary of State with rec-
ommendations and potential improvements to poli-
cies, programs, resources, and tools related to the 
prevention of and response to emerging events exac-
erbated by climate change; 
(7) coordinate the Department of State’s en-
gagement in interagency processes led by the Na-
tional Security Council that share the Task Force’s 
objectives; 
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(8) conduct outreach not less frequently than 
biannually, with representatives of nongovernmental 
organizations dedicated to the prevention of and re-
sponse to emerging events exacerbated by climate 
change and other appropriate parties, to— 
(A) receive assistance relating to the Task 
Force’s efforts to address emerging events exac-
erbated by climate change and develop new or 
improved policies, programs, resources, and 
tools; and 
(B) provide a public understanding of the 
work of the Task Force; 
(9) in carrying out paragraphs (1) through (8), 
focus on particular ways for the United States to de-
velop, strengthen, and enhance its capabilities to— 
(A) monitor, receive early warning of, and 
coordinate responses to potential emerging 
events exacerbated by climate change; 
(B) engage allies and partners, including 
multilateral and regional institutions, to build 
capacities and mobilize action for preventing 
and responding to emerging events exacerbated 
by climate change; 
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(C) encourage the deployment of civilian 
advisors to prevent and respond to emerging 
events exacerbated by climate change; 
(D) increase the capacity of and develop 
doctrine for the United States Foreign Service, 
civil service, Armed Forces, development profes-
sionals, and other actors to engage in the full 
spectrum of activities to prevent and respond to 
emerging events exacerbated by climate change; 
(E) develop and implement tailored foreign 
assistance programs that address and mitigate 
the risks of emerging events exacerbated by cli-
mate change; 
(F) ensure intelligence collection, analysis, 
and sharing of appropriate information; and 
(G) address any other issues that the Task 
Force determines appropriate; 
(10) in carrying out paragraphs (1) through 
(8), receive support from bureaus and offices of the 
Department of State, as the Secretary of State de-
termines appropriate; and 
(11) facilitate annual coordination between the 
Department of State, the Department of Energy, 
and the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure 
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international and domestic climate change objectives 
are aligned. 
(d) COMPOSITION.—The Task Force shall— 
(1) seek to ensure that its efforts complement 
and support interagency processes led by the Na-
tional Security Council that share the Task Force’s 
objectives; and 
(2) operate with regular consultation and par-
ticipation of designated representatives, at the As-
sistant Secretary level or higher, of— 
(A) the Department of State; 
(B) the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development; 
(C) the Department of Defense; 
(D) the Department of Commerce; 
(E) the Department of the Treasury; 
(F) the Department of Energy; 
(G) the Central Intelligence Agency; 
(H) the Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence; 
(I) the United States Mission to the 
United Nations; 
(J) the National Security Council; 
(K) the Environmental Protection Agency; 
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(L) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration; 
(M) the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration; 
(N) the United States Geological Survey; 
and 
(O) such other executive departments, 
agencies, or offices as the Chair may designate. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act and every two years there-
after for the following ten years, the Secretary of State, 
in consultation with the Task Force, shall submit to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on For-
eign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives an unclassified report, with a 
classified annex if necessary, that includes— 
(1) a review, in consultation with the des-
ignated representatives specified in subsection (d), 
consisting of— 
(A) an evaluation of the efficacy of current 
efforts based on United States and locally iden-
tified indicators, including capacities and con-
straints for United States Government-wide de-
tection, early warning and response, informa-
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(A) enhancing multilateral mechanisms for 
preventing, mitigating, and responding to 
emerging events exacerbated by climate change; 
and 
(B) strengthening regional organizations; 
and 
(3) the implementation status of the rec-
ommendations included in the review under para-
graph (1). 
(f) BRIEFINGS
AND MATERIALS.—The Chair and 
members of the Task Force shall, not less frequently than 
annually, provide briefings and materials to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. 
(g) REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTEL-
LIGENCE.—The Director of National Intelligence is en-
couraged to include, in his or her annual (or more often 
as appropriate) unclassified testimony, accompanied by a 
classified annex, if necessary, to Congress on threats to 
United States national security— 
(1) a review of countries and regions at risk of 
emerging events exacerbated by climate change; and 
(2) whenever possible, specific identification of 
countries and regions at immediate risk of emerging 
events exacerbated by climate change. 
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(h) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that rapid and robust climate change response mech-
anisms, including the establishment of the Task Force, are 
critical for ensuring other countries remain accountable to 
their climate action commitments as well as preserving the 
national security and economic interests of the United 
States. 
Æ 
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