I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4515 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and imple-
ment a program and national strategic action plan to prepare and em-
power the health care sector to protect the health and well-being of 
our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate 
crisis, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2025 
Ms. MATSUI (for herself, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. BARRAGA´N, 
Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CASTEN, Ms. CHU, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. 
COHEN, Mr. COSTA, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. 
KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. NORTON, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. THANEDAR, Ms. TOKUDA, Mr. 
TONKO, and Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
develop and implement a program and national strategic 
action plan to prepare and empower the health care 
sector to protect the health and well-being of our work-
ers, our communities, and our planet in the face of 
the climate crisis, 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 ‘‘Climate Change Health 
Protection and Promotion Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Office. 
(2) ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE
COMMUNITY.— 
The term ‘‘environmental justice community’’ means 
a community with significant representation of com-
munities of color, low-income communities, or Tribal 
and Indigenous communities that experiences, or is 
at risk of experiencing, higher or more adverse 
human health or environmental effects. 
(3) MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.— 
The term ‘‘medically underserved community’’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 799B of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p). 
(4) NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.—The 
term ‘‘national strategic action plan’’ means the na-
tional strategic action plan published pursuant to 
section 4(b)(1). 
(5) OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Office’’ means the Of-
fice of Climate Change and Health Equity estab-
lished by section 4(a)(1). 
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(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
SEC. 3. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS. 
Nothing in this Act limits the authority provided to 
or responsibility conferred on any Federal department or 
agency by any provision of any law (including regulations) 
or authorizes any violation of any provision of any law (in-
cluding regulations), including any health, energy, envi-
ronmental, transportation, or any other law or regulation. 
SEC. 4. OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH EQUITY; 
NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN. 
(a) OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH EQ-
UITY.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—There is established 
within the Department of Health and Human 
Services the Office of Climate Change and 
Health Equity. 
(B) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Office 
shall be to facilitate a robust, Federal response 
to the impact of climate change on the health 
of the American people and the health care sys-
tem. 
(C) DIRECTOR.—There is established the 
position of Director of the Office, who shall be 
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the head of the Office, and who shall report to 
the Secretary. 
(2) ACTIVITIES.—The duties of the Office shall 
be to address priority health actions relating to the 
health impacts of climate change, including by doing 
each of the following, in collaboration with other 
Federal agencies, as the Director determines appro-
priate: 
(A) Contribute to assessments of how cli-
mate change is affecting the health of individ-
uals living in the United States. 
(B) Understand the needs of the popu-
lations most disproportionately affected by cli-
mate-related health threats, including environ-
mental justice communities and medically un-
derserved communities. 
(C) Serve as a credible source of informa-
tion on the physical, mental, and behavioral 
health consequences of climate change. 
(D) Track data on environmental condi-
tions, disease risks, and disease occurrence re-
lated to climate change. 
(E) Expand capacity for modeling and 
forecasting health effects that may be climate- 
related. 
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(F) Enhance the science base to better un-
derstand the relationship between climate 
change and health outcomes. 
(G) Communicate the health-related as-
pects of climate change, including risks and as-
sociated costs and ways to reduce them, to the 
public, decision-makers, public health profes-
sionals, and health care providers. 
(H) Align Federal efforts to deploy cli-
mate-conscious human services and direct serv-
ices to support and protect populations dis-
proportionately affected by climate change, in-
cluding environmental justice communities and 
medically underserved communities. 
(I) Develop and distribute tools and re-
sources to support climate resilience for the 
health sector, community-based organizations, 
and individuals. 
(J) Develop and implement preparedness 
and response plans for health threats, such as 
heat waves, severe weather events, and infec-
tious diseases. 
(K) Lead efforts to reduce the greenhouse 
gas and environmental impacts of the health 
sector, including by developing and distributing 
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tools and resources to support health sector ef-
forts to track and decrease sectoral greenhouse 
gas emissions. 
(L) Provide leadership to State and local 
governments, community leaders, health care 
professionals, nongovernmental organizations, 
environmental justice networks, faith-based 
communities, the private sector, and the public, 
regarding health protection from climate change 
effects. 
(M) Develop partnerships with other gov-
ernment agencies, the private sector, non-
governmental organizations, and institutions of 
higher education, to more effectively address 
the health aspects of climate change. 
(N) Promote workforce development by 
helping to ensure the training of a new genera-
tion of competent, experienced public health 
and health care professionals to respond to the 
health threats posed by climate change. 
(O) Carry out other activities, as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
(b) NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, on 
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the basis of the best available science, and in con-
sultation pursuant to paragraph (2), shall publish a 
national strategic action plan to coordinate effective 
deployment of Federal efforts to ensure that public 
health and health care systems are prepared for and 
can respond to the impacts of climate change on 
health in the United States. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing or making 
any revision to the national strategic action plan, the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) consult with the Director, the Adminis-
trator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans 
and Atmosphere, the Administrator of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration, 
the Director of the Indian Health Service, the 
Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Defense, 
the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs, and the heads of other appro-
priate Federal agencies, Tribal governments, 
and State and local government officials; and 
(B) provide meaningful opportunity for en-
gagement, comment, and consultation with rel-
evant public stakeholders, particularly rep-
resentatives of populations disproportionately 
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affected by climate change, including environ-
mental justice communities, medically under-
served communities, Tribal communities, health 
care providers, public health organizations, and 
scientists. 
(3) NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN COM-
PONENTS.—The national strategic action plan shall 
include an assessment of, and strategies to improve, 
the health sector capacity of the United States to 
address the impacts of climate change, including— 
(A) identifying, prioritizing, and engaging 
communities and populations who are dis-
proportionately affected by, or at greatest risk 
for, exposures to climate hazards; 
(B) addressing mental and physical health 
disparities exacerbated by climate impacts to 
enhance community health resilience; 
(C) identifying the link between environ-
mental injustice and vulnerability to the im-
pacts of climate change and prioritizing those 
who have been harmed by environmental and 
climate injustice; 
(D) providing outreach and communication 
aimed at public health and health care profes-
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sionals and the public to promote preparedness 
and response strategies; 
(E) tracking and assessing programs 
across Federal agencies to advance research re-
lated to the impacts of climate change on 
health; 
(F) identifying and assessing existing pre-
paredness and response strategies for the health 
impacts of climate change; 
(G) prioritizing critical public health and 
health care infrastructure projects; 
(H) providing modeling and forecasting 
tools of climate change health impacts, includ-
ing local impacts, where feasible; 
(I) establishing academic and regional cen-
ters of excellence; 
(J) recommending models for maintaining 
access to health care during extreme weather; 
(K) providing technical assistance and sup-
port for preparedness and response plans for 
the health threats of climate change in States, 
municipalities, territories, Indian Tribes, and 
developing countries; 
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(L) addressing the impacts of greenhouse 
gas emissions on the health of individuals living 
in the United States; 
(M) tracking health care sector contribu-
tions to greenhouse gas emissions and identi-
fying actions to reduce those emissions; 
(N) recommending new regulations or poli-
cies to address identified gaps in the health sys-
tem capacity to effectively reduce emissions, re-
duce environmental impact, and address climate 
change; and 
(O) developing, improving, integrating, and 
maintaining disease surveillance systems and 
monitoring capacity to respond to health-related 
impacts of climate change, including on topics 
addressing— 
(i) water-, food-, and vector-borne in-
fectious diseases and climate change; 
(ii) pulmonary effects, including re-
sponses to aeroallergens, infectious agents, 
and toxic exposures; 
(iii) cardiovascular effects, including 
impacts of temperature extremes; 
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(xiii) disruptions in access to routine 
and acute medical care, public health pro-
grams, and other supportive services for 
maintaining health. 
(c) PERIODIC ASSESSMENT
AND REVISION.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of first publication of the 
national strategic action plan, and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall periodically assess, and revise as necessary, 
the national strategic action plan, to reflect new informa-
tion collected, including information on— 
(1) the status of and trends in critical environ-
mental health indicators and related human health 
impacts; 
(2) the trends in and impacts of climate change 
on public health; 
(3) advances in the development of strategies 
for preparing for and responding to the impacts of 
climate change on public health; and 
(4) the effectiveness of the implementation of 
the national strategic action plan in protecting 
against climate change health threats. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) IMPLEMENTATION
THROUGH
HHS.—The 
Secretary shall exercise the Secretary’s authority 
under this Act and other Federal statutes to achieve 
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the goals and measures of the Office and the na-
tional strategic action plan. 
(2) OTHER
PUBLIC
HEALTH
PROGRAMS
AND 
INITIATIVES.—The Secretary and Federal officials of 
other relevant Federal agencies shall administer 
public health programs and initiatives authorized by 
laws other than this Act, subject to the requirements 
of such laws, in a manner designed to achieve the 
goals of the Office and the national strategic action 
plan. 
(3) HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall identify proposed and cur-
rent laws, policies, and programs that are of 
particular interest for their impact in contrib-
uting to or alleviating health burdens and the 
health impacts of climate change. 
(B) ASSESSMENTS.—Not later than 2 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the head of each relevant Federal agency 
shall— 
(i) assess the impacts that the pro-
posed and current laws, policies, and pro-
grams identified under subparagraph (A) 
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under their jurisdiction have or may have 
on protection against the health threats of 
climate change; and 
(ii) assist State, Tribal, local, and ter-
ritorial governments in conducting such as-
sessments. 
SEC. 5. ADVISORY BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall, pursuant 
to chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code, establish a 
permanent science advisory board to be composed of not 
less than 10 and not more than 20 members. 
(b) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall appoint 
the members of the science advisory board from 
among individuals who— 
(A) are recommended by the President of 
the National Academy of Sciences or the Presi-
dent of the National Academy of Medicine; and 
(B) have expertise in essential public 
health and health care services, including with 
respect to diverse populations, climate change, 
environmental and climate justice, and other 
relevant disciplines. 
(2) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that the science advisory board includes mem-
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bers with practical or lived experience with relevant 
issues described in paragraph (1)(B). 
(c) FUNCTIONS.—The science advisory board shall— 
(1) provide scientific and technical advice and 
recommendations to the Secretary on the domestic 
and international impacts of climate change on pub-
lic health and populations and regions disproportion-
ately affected by climate change, and strategies and 
mechanisms to prepare for and respond to the im-
pacts of climate change on public health; 
(2) advise the Secretary regarding the best 
science available for purposes of carrying out the ac-
tivities of the Office and issuing the national stra-
tegic action plan; and 
(3) submit a report to Congress on its activities 
and recommendations not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act and not less frequently 
than every year thereafter. 
(d) SUPPORT.—The Secretary shall provide financial 
and administrative support to the board. 
SEC. 6. CLIMATE CHANGE HEALTH PROTECTION AND PRO-
MOTION REPORTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall offer to enter 
into an agreement, including the provision of such funding 
as may be necessary, with the National Academies of 
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Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, under which such 
National Academies will prepare periodic reports to aid 
public health and health care professionals in preparing 
for and responding to the adverse health effects of climate 
change that— 
(1) review scientific developments on health im-
pacts and health disparities of climate change; 
(2) evaluate the measurable impacts of activi-
ties undertaken at the directive of the national stra-
tegic action plan; and 
(3) recommend changes to the national stra-
tegic action plan. 
(b) SUBMISSION.—The agreement under subsection 
(a) shall require a report to be submitted to Congress and 
the Secretary and made publicly available not later than 
1 year after the first publication of the national strategic 
action plan, and every 4 years thereafter. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH EQ-
UITY.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out section 4(a) $10,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2031. 
(b) NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
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