Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act of 2021
Bill: S.1702 | Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. (D-MA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take a series of actions to address the potential impacts of climate change on public health.
Specifically, HHS must develop a strategic action plan and a climate and health program to ensure the public health and health care systems in the United States and other nations are prepared for, and can respond to, the impacts of climate change on health. HHS must revise the plan periodically to reflect new scientific developments and information.
Additionally, HHS must establish a permanent science advisory board to provide (1) scientific and technical recommendations on the impacts of climate change on public health, and (2) advice for purposes of issuing the plan and conducting the program.

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and 
implement a national strategic action plan and program to assist health 
professionals and systems in preparing for and responding to the public 
       health effects of climate change, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Climate Change Health Protection and 
Promotion Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

    (a) Findings.--The U.S. Global Change Research Program Climate and 
Health Assessment states that--
            (1) the impacts of human-induced climate change are 
        increasing nationwide;
            (2) rising greenhouse gas concentrations result in 
        increases in temperature, changes in precipitation, increases 
        in the frequency and intensity of some extreme weather events, 
        and rising sea levels;
            (3) these climate change impacts endanger our health by 
        affecting our food and water sources, the air we breathe, the 
        weather we experience, and our interactions with the built and 
        natural environments; and
            (4) as the climate continues to change, the risks to human 
        health continue to grow.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) climate change poses threats to the United States and 
        globally through its impacts on society, the economy, the 
        physical environment, and national security;
            (2) climate change health threats are growing in scale and 
        severity;
            (3) climate change disproportionately affects people of the 
        United States who are economically disadvantaged, belong to 
        communities of color, or have other social and health 
        vulnerabilities;
            (4) climate change impacts anywhere in the world can 
        threaten the health of people of the United States through such 
        pathways as infectious disease pandemics, climate-driven 
        migration and displacement, and social, economic, and political 
        disruption; and
            (5) the Federal Government, in cooperation with 
        international, State, Tribal, and local governments, 
        nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and individuals, 
        should use all practicable means and measures--
                    (A) to assist the efforts of public health and 
                health care professionals, first responders, health 
                care systems, States, the District of Columbia, 
                territories, municipalities, and Native American and 
                local communities to incorporate measures to prepare 
                public health and health care systems to respond to the 
                impacts of climate change;
                    (B) to ensure--
                            (i) that the Nation's public health and 
                        health care professionals have sufficient 
                        information to prepare for and respond to the 
                        adverse health impacts of climate change;
                            (ii) the application of scientific research 
                        in advancing understanding of--
                                    (I) the health impacts of climate 
                                change; and
                                    (II) strategies to prepare for and 
                                respond to the health impacts of 
                                climate change;
                            (iii) the identification of communities and 
                        populations vulnerable to the health impacts of 
                        climate change, including infants, children, 
                        pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with 
                        disabilities or pre-existing illnesses, low-
                        income populations, communities of color, those 
                        who experience environmental injustices, and 
                        unhoused individuals;
                            (iv) the development of strategic response 
                        plans to be carried out by public health and 
                        health care professionals for the communities 
                        described in clause (iii);
                            (v) the improvement of health status and 
                        health equity through efforts to prepare for 
                        and respond to climate change; and
                            (vi) the inclusion of health impacts in the 
                        development of climate change responses;
                    (C) to encourage further research, 
                interdisciplinary partnership, and collaboration among 
                stakeholders in order to--
                            (i) understand and monitor the health 
                        impacts of climate change, including mental 
                        health impacts;
                            (ii) improve public health knowledge and 
                        response strategies to climate change;
                            (iii) identify actions and policies that 
                        are beneficial to health and that mitigate 
                        climate health impacts; and
                            (iv) develop strategies to address water-, 
                        food-, and vector-borne infectious diseases and 
                        other public health emergencies;
                    (D) to enhance preparedness activities, and health 
                care and public health infrastructure, relating to 
                climate change and health;
                    (E) to encourage each and every community to learn 
                about the impacts of climate change on health; and
                    (F) to assist the efforts of developing countries 
                to incorporate measures to prepare public health and 
                health care systems to respond to the impacts of 
                climate change.

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 (including regulations), 
including any health, energy, environmental, transportation, or any 
other law or regulation.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN AND PROGRAM.

    (a) Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary''), on the 
        basis of the best available science, and in consultation 
        pursuant to paragraph (2), shall publish a national strategic 
        action plan and establish a climate and health program 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 and other countries.
            (2) Consultation.--In developing or making any revision to 
        the national strategic action plan and program, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    (A) consult with the Director of the Centers for 
                Disease Control and Prevention, the Administrator of 
                the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of 
                the National Institutes of Health, the Undersecretary 
                of Commerce for Oceans & Atmosphere, the Administrator 
                of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 
                the Director of the Indian Health Service, the 
                Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the National 
                Environmental Justice Advisory Council, the heads of 
                other appropriate Federal agencies, Tribal governments, 
                and State and local government officials; and
                    (B) provide meaningful opportunity for engagement, 
                comment, and consultation with relevant public 
                stakeholders, particularly representatives of at-risk 
                populations, environmental justice communities, Tribal 
                communities, public health organizations, and 
                scientists.
    (b) Activities.--
            (1) National strategic action plan.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting 
                through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
                and Prevention, and in collaboration with other Federal 
                agencies as appropriate, shall, on the basis of the 
                best available science, and in consultation with the 
                entities described in subsection (a)(2)(A), publish a 
                national strategic action plan under subsection (a)(1) 
                to guide the climate and health program and assist 
                public health and health care professionals in 
                preparing for and responding to the impacts of climate 
                change on public health in the United States and other 
                countries, particularly developing countries.
                    (B) National strategic action plan components.--The 
                national strategic plan under subsection (a)(1) shall 
                include an assessment of the health system capacity of 
                the United States to address climate change, 
                including--
                            (i) identifying and prioritizing 
                        communities and populations vulnerable to the 
                        health impacts of climate change;
                            (ii) identifying the link between 
                        environmental injustice and vulnerability to 
                        the impacts of climate change and prioritizing 
                        those who have been harmed by environmental and 
                        climate injustice;
                            (iii) providing outreach and communication 
                        aimed at public health and health care 
                        professionals and the public to promote 
                        preparedness and response strategies;
                            (iv) providing for programs across Federal 
                        agencies to advance research related to the 
                        impacts of climate change on health;
                            (v) identifying and assessing existing 
                        preparedness and response strategies for the 
                        health impacts of climate change;
                            (vi) prioritizing critical public health 
                        and health care infrastructure projects;
                            (vii) providing modeling and forecasting 
                        tools of climate change health impacts, 
                        including local impacts, where feasible;
                            (viii) establishing academic and regional 
                        centers of excellence;
                            (ix) providing technical assistance and 
                        support for preparedness and response plans for 
                        the health threats of climate change in States, 
                        municipalities, territories, Indian Tribes, and 
                        developing countries; and
                            (x) developing, improving, integrating, and 
                        maintaining domestic and international 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 
                                infectious diseases and climate change;
                                    (II) pulmonary effects, including 
                                responses to aeroallergens and toxic 
                                exposures;
                                    (III) cardiovascular effects, 
                                including impacts of temperature 
                                extremes;
                                    (IV) air pollution health effects, 
                                including heightened sensitivity to air 
                                pollution;
                                    (V) harmful algal blooms;
                                    (VI) mental and behavioral health 
                                impacts of climate change;
                                    (VII) the health of migrants, 
                                refugees, displaced persons, and 
                                vulnerable communities;
                                    (VIII) the implications for 
                                communities and populations vulnerable 
                                to the health effects of climate 
                                change, as well as strategies for 
                                responding to climate change within 
                                such communities;
                                    (IX) Tribal, local, and community-
                                based health interventions for climate-
                                related health impacts;
                                    (X) extreme heat and weather 
                                events, including drought;
                                    (XI) decreased nutritional value of 
                                crops; and
                                    (XII) disruptions in access to 
                                routine and acute medical care.
            (2) Climate and health program.--The Secretary, acting 
        through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention, and in collaboration with other Federal agencies, 
        as appropriate, shall ensure that the climate and health 
        program established under this section addresses priority 
        health actions, including by doing each of the following:
                    (A) Serve as a credible source of information on 
                the physical, mental, and behavioral health 
                consequences of climate change for the United States 
                population and globally.
                    (B) Track data on environmental conditions, disease 
                risks, and disease occurrence related to climate 
                change.
                    (C) Expand capacity for modeling and forecasting 
                health effects that may be climate-related.
                    (D) Enhance the science base to better understand 
                the relationship between climate change and health 
                outcomes.
                    (E) Identify locations and population groups at 
                greatest risk for specific health threats and effects, 
                such as increased heat-related illnesses and injuries, 
                degraded air and water quality, food or water-related 
                infections, vector-borne illnesses, pulmonary and 
                cardiovascular effects, mental and behavioral health 
                effects, and food, water, and nutrient insecurity.
                    (F) Communicate the health-related aspects of 
                climate change, including risks and associated costs 
                and ways to reduce them, to the public, decision-
                makers, public health professionals, and health care 
                providers.
                    (G) Develop partnerships with other government 
                agencies, the private sector, nongovernmental 
                organizations, universities, and international 
                organizations to more effectively address domestic and 
                global health aspects of climate change.
                    (H) 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, 
                domestically and internationally, regarding health 
                protection from climate change effects.
                    (I) Develop and implement preparedness and response 
                plans for health threats, such as heat waves, severe 
                weather events, and infectious diseases.
                    (J) Provide technical advice and support to State 
                and local health departments, the private sector, and 
                others in developing and implementing national and 
                global preparedness measures related to the health 
                effects of climate change.
                    (K) Promote workforce development by helping to 
                ensure the training of a new generation of competent, 
                experienced public health and health care professionals 
                to respond to the health threats posed by climate 
                change.
    (c) Periodic Assessment and Revision.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of first publication of the national strategic action plan 
under subsection (a)(1), and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
periodically assess, and revise as necessary, the national strategic 
action plan under subsection (a)(1) and the climate and health program 
under subsection (a)(1), to reflect new information collected pursuant 
to the implementation of the national strategic action plan and program 
and otherwise, including information on--
            (1) the status of and trends in critical environmental 
        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 the goals and measures of the 
        national strategic action plan and climate and health program.
            (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 national strategic action plan and climate and 
        health program.
            (3) Health impact assessment.--The heads of all Federal 
        agencies shall, on a regular basis, assess the impacts that 
        proposed and current laws, policies, and programs in their 
        jurisdiction have or may have on protection against climate 
        change health threats and shall assist State, Tribal, local, 
        and territorial governments to conduct such assessments.

SEC. 5. ADVISORY BOARD.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall, pursuant to the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), establish a permanent science 
advisory board to be comprised of not less than 10 and not more than 20 
members.
    (b) Appointment of Members.--The Secretary shall appoint the 
members of the science advisory board from among individuals who--
            (1) are recommended by the President of the National 
        Academy of Sciences and the President of the National Academy 
        of Medicine; and
            (2) have expertise in essential public health and health 
        care services, including with respect to vulnerable 
        populations, climate change, environmental and climate justice, 
        and other relevant disciplines.
The Secretary shall ensure that the science advisory board includes 
members with practical or lived experience with relevant issues.
    (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 public health, 
        populations, and regions particularly vulnerable to the effects 
        of climate change, and strategies and mechanisms to prepare for 
        and respond to the impacts of climate change on public health;
            (2) advise the Secretary regarding the best science 
        available for purposes of issuing the national strategic action 
        plan and conducting the climate and health program; 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 later than every year thereafter.
    (d) Support.--The Secretary shall provide financial and 
administrative support to the board.

SEC. 6. CLIMATE CHANGE HEALTH PROTECTION AND PROMOTION 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 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 impacts of 
        climate change; and
            (2) recommend changes to the national strategic action plan 
        and climate and health program.
    (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.
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