Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2021
Bill: S.2510 | Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. (D-MA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Preventing Health Emergencies And Temperature-related Illness and Deaths Act of 2021 or the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2021
This bill provides statutory authority for, and otherwise revises, the National Integrated Heat Health Information System to improve the capacity of the United States to prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate health risks of extreme heat. The bill tasks the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with administering the system. (Currently, the system is jointly administered by NOAA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
The bill also authorizes financial assistance for projects to increase awareness, education, and research about extreme heat events and prioritizes projects that serve historically disadvantaged communities and communities with the greatest risk or highest incidence of heat-related illnesses and deaths.
Additionally, NOAA must contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study relevant policy, research, and data gaps concerning extreme heat information and response.
The bill also establishes an interagency committee within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a strategic plan and otherwise coordinate federal activities related to addressing health risks and impacts of heat.

To reduce the health risks of heat by establishing the National 
 Integrated Heat Health Information System Program within the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Integrated Heat 
Health Information System Interagency Committee to improve extreme heat 
     preparedness, planning, and response, requiring a study, and 
establishing financial assistance programs to address heat effects, and 
                          for other purposes.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Preventing Health 
Emergencies And Temperature-related Illness and Deaths Act of 2021'' or 
the ``Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2021''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Environmental justice community.--The term 
        ``environmental justice community'' means a community with 
        significant representation of communities 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, as compared to 
        other communities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Extreme heat.--The term ``extreme heat'' means 
        heat that exceeds local climatological norms in terms of any 
        combination of the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Duration.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Intensity.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Season length.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Frequency.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Heat.--The term ``heat'' means any combination 
        of the parameters associated with modulating human thermal 
        regulation, such as air temperature, humidity, solar exposure, 
        and wind speed.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Heat event.--The term ``heat event'' means an 
        occurrence of extreme heat that may have heat-health 
        implications.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Heat-health.--The term ``heat-health'' means 
        health effects to humans from heat, during or outside of heat 
        events, including from vulnerability and exposure, or the risk 
        of such effects.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Planning.--The term ``planning'' means 
        activities performed across timescales (including days, weeks, 
        months, years, and decades) with scenario-based, probabilistic 
        or deterministic information to identify and take actions to 
        proactively mitigate heat-health risks from increased 
        frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves and increased 
        ambient temperature.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Preparedness.--The term ``preparedness'' means 
        activities performed across timescales (including days, weeks, 
        months, years, and decades) with probabilistic or deterministic 
        information to manage risk in advance of a heat event and 
        increased ambient temperature.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) Urban heat island.--The term ``urban heat 
        island'' means the phenomenon observed in urbanized areas in 
        which heat is more extreme than in the surrounding exurban 
        areas and heat is heterogeneously distributed within urbanized 
        areas, due to factors including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) low albedo and impervious 
                surfaces;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) low vegetation coverage; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) waste heat produced in urban 
                areas.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Congress makes the following findings:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Extreme heat events have been the leading 
        cause of weather-related death in the United States over the 
        last 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention and the National Weather Service.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The fourth National Climate Assessment, 
        mandated by the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 
        2921 et seq.), finds that during the next few decades, annual 
        average temperature over the contiguous United States is 
        projected to increase by a further 2.2F relative to current 
        temperatures, regardless of future scenarios. The National 
        Climate Assessment projects that the frequency and intensity of 
        extreme heat events will increase in the future as global 
        temperature increases.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Exposure to extreme heat can cause acute heat-
        related illnesses, such as heat stroke, which already result in 
        more than 65,000 emergency room visits each year and exacerbate 
        respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Heat poses the greatest health risks for 
        adults older than 65 years of age, pregnant people, young 
        children, low-income communities, urban communities, 
        communities with low air conditioning prevalence, socially 
        isolated individuals, people with mental or physical 
        disabilities, people with underlying medical conditions, 
        agricultural or other outdoor workers, workers without 
        sufficient access to cooling, athletes, incarcerated 
        individuals, people experiencing homelessness, and military 
        personnel.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Increasingly common environmental exposures 
        exacerbated by climate change, such as extreme heat, are 
        significantly associated with serious adverse pregnancy 
        outcomes across the United States. Those adverse pregnancy 
        outcomes disproportionately impact Black mothers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Heat exposure is an issue of environmental 
        justice, as people living in low-income communities, 
        communities of color, and Tribal communities face a number of 
        interacting factors that render them more vulnerable to extreme 
        heat.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) The impacts of heat on human health are more 
        severe in urban areas where land surface properties create an 
        urban heat island, particularly in neighborhoods with limited 
        availability of or access to green spaces, shade, and tree 
        cover, higher density of building structures, and more 
        vehicular traffic.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) Limited availability of tree cover and higher 
        temperatures are correlated with low-income neighborhoods in 
        urban areas. In Richmond, Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland, and 
        Washington, D.C., researchers found that heat risk is 
        disproportionately distributed to communities of color in 
        patterns associated with segregation and redlining.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) Researchers have found that few communities in 
        the United States have sufficient climate and health 
        information, guidance, and resources for heat planning, 
        preparedness, and response.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) The risks associated with extreme heat have 
        complex interactions and impacts, and the management of those 
        risks requires a transdisciplinary approach.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (11) Regions, communities, and populations that 
        face the greatest health consequences of extreme heat often may 
        experience the lowest heat risk perceptions, have limited 
        incentives, or have access to the fewest resources for 
        responding to extreme heat, and as such, may be less likely to 
        take precautions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (12) Research on the impacts of extreme heat on 
        human health and the effectiveness of solutions under varying 
        climate, social, and other contexts is stymied by a lack of 
        access to reliable, timely health observations and surveillance 
        due to proprietary data rights, expense, privacy and security 
        concerns, inconsistent reporting of health outcomes and 
        contributory factors, poor data integration and 
        interoperability, few incentives and little systematic 
        coordination to address those problems, and a lack of adequate 
        climate observation, modeling, and assessment in urban, indoor, 
        and occupational settings.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (13) Integrated climate and health research and 
        information, when developed in a collaborative, 
        transdisciplinary manner, can inform long- and medium-range 
        scenario-based planning and decision making to protect 
        vulnerable communities and populations from extreme heat, 
        reduce exposure to extreme heat, and address factors that 
        increase vulnerability.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (14) Heat action plans and early warning systems 
        can reduce heat-related morbidity and mortality by clearly 
        identifying roles and responsibilities as well as evidence-
        based actions and thresholds to enhance preparedness, and by 
        promoting behavior changes and actions taken by local 
        governments, communities, and individuals through awareness and 
        increased risk perception among those most vulnerable to the 
        health impacts of heat.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEAT HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM 
              INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment of Committee.--There is established 
within the Office of Science and Technology Policy an interagency 
committee, to be known as the ``National Integrated Heat Health 
Information System Interagency Committee'' (in this section referred to 
as the ``Committee'').</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purpose.--The Committee shall coordinate, plan, and 
direct agencies represented on the Committee to execute, as 
appropriate, activities across such agencies to ensure the National 
Integrated Heat Health Information System Program established by 
section 5 provides a united Federal approach to reducing health risks 
from heat across timescales (including days, weeks, months, years, and 
decades).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Membership.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--In order to carry out and achieve 
        the purpose described in subsection (b), the Committee shall 
        include the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The Director of the National 
                Integrated Heat Health Information System 
                Program.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Not fewer than 1 representative from 
                each of the following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) From the Department of 
                        Commerce, the following:</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) From the National 
                                Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
                                the following:</DELETED>
                                        <DELETED>    (aa) The National 
                                        Weather Service.</DELETED>
                                        <DELETED>    (bb) The Office of 
                                        Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                                        Research, including the Climate 
                                        Program Office.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) The National 
                                Institute of Standards and 
                                Technology.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (III) The Bureau of the 
                                Census.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) From the Department of Health 
                        and Human Services, the following:</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) The Centers for 
                                Disease Control and Prevention, 
                                including the National Institute for 
                                Occupational Safety and 
                                Health.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) The Office of the 
                                Assistant Secretary of Health and Human 
                                Services for Preparedness and 
                                Response.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (III) The Substance Abuse 
                                and Mental Health Services 
                                Administration.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (IV) The National 
                                Institutes of Health.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) From the Department of the 
                        Interior, the following:</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) The Bureau of Indian 
                                Affairs.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) The Bureau of Land 
                                Management.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) From the Environmental 
                        Protection Agency, the following:</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) The Office of 
                                Environmental Justice.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) The Office of Air and 
                                Radiation, if the Administrator of the 
                                Environmental Protection Agency 
                                determines appropriate.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (III) The Office of 
                                Research and Development, if the 
                                Administrator determines 
                                appropriate.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) The Federal Emergency 
                        Management Agency.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) The Department of 
                        Defense.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vii) The Occupational Safety and 
                        Health Administration.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (viii) The Department of 
                        Agriculture.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ix) The Department of Housing and 
                        Urban Development.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (x) The Department of 
                        Transportation.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (xi) The Department of 
                        Energy.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (xii) Such other Federal agencies 
                        as the Director of the Office of Science and 
                        Technology Policy considers 
                        appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Selection of representatives.--The head of an 
        agency specified in paragraph (1)(B) shall, in appointing 
        representatives of the agency to the Committee, select 
        representatives who have expertise in areas relevant to the 
        responsibilities of the Committee, such as weather and climate 
        prediction, health impacts, environmental justice, behavioral 
        science, public health hazard preparedness and response, or 
        mental health services.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Co-chairs.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--The members of the 
                Committee shall select 2 individuals from among such 
                members to serve as co-chairs of the Committee, subject 
                to the approval of the Director of the Office of 
                Science and Technology Policy.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Selection.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) Initial selection.--Of the co-
                        chairs first selected, one co-chair shall be 
                        from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                        Administration and one co-chair shall be from 
                        the Centers for Disease Control and 
                        Prevention.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Subsequent selection.--
                        Subsequent co-chairs shall be selected from 
                        among the members of the Committee.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Terms.--Each co-chair shall serve for 
                a term of not more than 5 years.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Responsibilities of co-chairs.--The 
                co-chairs of the Committee shall--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) determine the agenda of the 
                        Committee, in consultation with other members 
                        of the Committee;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) direct the work of the 
                        Committee;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) convene meetings of the 
                        Committee not less frequently than once each 
                        fiscal quarter; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) if necessary, establish a 
                        coordination office for the Committee within 
                        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                        Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Responsibilities of Committee.--The Committee shall 
promote an integrated, Federal Government-wide approach to reducing 
health risks and impacts of heat, including by--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) developing the strategic plan required by 
        subsection (e);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) overseeing the study required by section 
        6(a)(1);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) coordinating across Federal agencies on heat-
        health communication, research, service delivery, and workforce 
        development;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) building capacity and partnerships with 
        Federal and non-Federal entities; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) annually preparing a budget for the financial 
        assistance program under section 7 specifying how funds will be 
        awarded by the Director of the National Integrated Heat Health 
        Information System Program in alignment with the strategic plan 
        required by subsection (e)(1) and in coordination with the 
        climate and health research grant program under section 
        5(d)(2).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Strategic Plan.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Committee shall submit 
        to Congress a 5-year integrated strategic plan that outlines 
        the goals and projects of the Committee, including how the 
        Committee will--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) improve coordination and integration 
                of interagency Federal actions to address health risks 
                of heat;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) conduct the study required by section 
                6(a)(1); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) oversee the program for providing 
                financial assistance under section 7.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Updates.--Not later than 5 years after the 
        submission of the strategic plan required by paragraph (1), and 
        every 5 years thereafter, the Committee shall submit to 
        Congress an update of the plan, which shall include progress 
        made toward goals outlined in the plan and new priorities that 
        emerge.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Public availability.--The Committee shall make 
        the strategic plan required by paragraph (1) and updates to the 
        plan required by paragraph (2) available to the public on an 
        internet website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, with clear visuals indicating progress toward 
        goals.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Administrative Support.--The Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall provide technical 
and administrative support to the Committee, using amounts authorized 
to be appropriated to the Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Consultation.--In carrying out the responsibilities of 
the Committee, the Committee shall consult with relevant regional, 
State, Tribal, and local government agencies, international 
organizations and partners, research institutions, nongovernmental 
organizations and associations, and medical experts with expertise in 
emergency response, environmental health, economic or business 
development, or community engagement.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEAT HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM 
              PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
              ADMINISTRATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Office 
of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration a program, to be known as the ``National 
Integrated Heat Health Information System Program''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program established by 
subsection (a) is to improve the capacity of the United States to plan, 
prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate health risks of extreme heat across 
multiple timescales.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Director.--The Program shall be headed by a 
Director.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Responsibilities.--In carrying out the purpose 
described in subsection (b), the Director shall carry out the following 
responsibilities:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Implementation plan.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--The Director shall 
                implement the strategic plan required by section 
                4(e)(1) by developing and implementing a multi-year 
                implementation plan.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Elements.--In developing and 
                implementing the implementation plan under subparagraph 
                (A), the Director shall focus on the 
                following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) Developing and sustaining 
                        robust relationships with climate, public 
                        health, environmental justice, and other 
                        Federal and non-Federal partners and 
                        decisionmakers--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) to respond to the 
                                demand for actionable information that 
                                reduces health risks on multiple 
                                timescales; and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) to develop and 
                                deliver timely and accessible decision 
                                support services, tools, and 
                                information to inform planning, 
                                preparedness, and risk-reducing actions 
                                across timescales.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Coordinating and 
                        collaborating with the international community 
                        and global partners to conduct research and 
                        learn from, leverage, and contribute to global 
                        knowledge.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) Enhancing observations, 
                        surveillance, and monitoring necessary for the 
                        activities described in clauses (i) and 
                        (ii).</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) Communicating, educating, and 
                        building awareness and capacity to address heat 
                        risk across communities, sectors, and 
                        timescales.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) Implementing and executing the 
                        grant program under paragraph (2) and the 
                        financial assistance program under section 
                        (7).</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) Conducting the study required 
                        by section 6(a)(1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Grant program.--The Director shall develop and 
        implement a climate and health research grant program, in 
        coordination with the financial assistance program under 
        section 7 and other Federal programs--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) to improve understanding of--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the climate epidemiology and 
                        social drivers of heat-health vulnerability and 
                        risk;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the drivers of climate 
                        variability, predictability, and changes in 
                        extreme heat; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the impacts of extreme heat 
                        and compound hazards across 
                        timescales;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) to investigate and evaluate the 
                effectiveness of risk management actions, 
                interventions, policies, standards, codes, and 
                guidelines; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) to address other topics as 
                appropriate, including topics outlined in the strategic 
                plan required by section 4(e)(1) and relevant to the 
                study required by section 6(a)(1) and the financial 
                assistance program under section 7.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Additional activities.--The Director shall 
        carry out such other activities as the Committee considers 
        appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. STUDY ON EXTREME HEAT INFORMATION AND 
              RESPONSE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 
        Integrated Heat Health Information System Program shall, in 
        consultation with the entities described in section 4(g), 
        complete a study on extreme heat information and 
        response.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Oversight.--The National Integrated Heat 
        Health Information System Interagency Committee shall oversee 
        the study required by paragraph (1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Elements.--The study required by paragraph (1) 
        shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) identify policy and research gaps, 
                which may include--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) regions of the United States 
                        with the largest gaps between awareness, 
                        preparedness, and capacity to address extreme 
                        heat; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) heat-related gaps in data, 
                        such as--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) the number of schools, 
                                prisons, and other public facilities 
                                that lack air conditioning; 
                                and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) the demographic 
                                breakdown of people affected by heat 
                                events, including by race, age, gender, 
                                occupation, and income;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) provide recommendations for addressing 
                gaps with respect to policy, research, operations, 
                communications, and data, including the gaps identified 
                under subparagraph (A), affecting heat-health planning, 
                preparedness, response, resilience, adaptation, and 
                environmental justice and equity;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) provide such other recommendations as 
                the Director considers appropriate, which may include 
                strategies for--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) communicating warnings to and 
                        promoting resilience of populations vulnerable 
                        to extreme heat;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) effectively distributing 
                        extreme heat warnings, including to individuals 
                        with limited English proficiency and 
                        individuals who are socially isolated or have 
                        other established barriers to such 
                        information;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) designing warnings described 
                        in clause (ii) to convey the urgency and 
                        severity of heat events and achieve behavior 
                        changes that reduce the mortality and morbidity 
                        of extreme heat effects, without creating 
                        warning fatigue or confusion with other types 
                        of weather disaster warnings;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) understanding compound and 
                        cascading risks, and implementing alternative 
                        heat-health risk reduction interventions to 
                        manage those risks collectively, such as 
                        reducing risk of the transmission of infectious 
                        diseases during heat waves by creating outdoor 
                        cooling locations or increasing ventilation and 
                        filtration in indoor cooling centers;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) promoting community resilience 
                        to heat events and incorporating principles of 
                        environmental justice in community response to 
                        heat waves;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) addressing the impacts of 
                        extreme heat on energy cost and availability; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vii) establishing labor and other 
                        standards for workers and heat; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) consider such other subjects as the 
                Committee considers appropriate, which may include--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the feasibility of enhancing 
                        existing nationwide data collection on heat-
                        related illnesses and mortalities to improve 
                        and ensure consistent collection of national-
                        level heat illness data across all 50 States, 
                        territories, and local jurisdictions of the 
                        United States;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) mechanisms for financing heat 
                        preparedness; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the effectiveness of county- 
                        or local-level heat awareness and communication 
                        tools, preparedness plans, or 
                        mitigation.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Development of definitions.--In conducting the 
        study required by paragraph (1), the Director shall work with 
        heat and health experts to identify consistent and agreed upon 
        definitions for heat events, heat waves, and other relevant 
        terms.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after completing the 
study required by subsection (a)(1), the Committee shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) make available to the public on an internet 
        website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
        a report on the findings and conclusions of the study; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) submit the report to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
                and Transportation of the Senate;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, 
                Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                Technology of the House of Representatives;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
                of the House of Representatives; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) the Committee on Education and Labor 
                of the House of Representatives.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR RESILIENCE IN ADDRESSING 
              EXTREME HEAT AND HEALTH RISKS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
        National Integrated Heat Health Information System Program may, 
        in coordination with the National Integrated Heat Health 
        Information System Interagency Committee, establish and 
        administer a community heat resilience program to provide 
        financial assistance to eligible entities to carry out projects 
        described in subsection (e) to ameliorate human health impacts 
        of extreme heat events.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Revision.--Upon completion of the strategic 
        plan required by section 4(e)(1), the Committee may revise the 
        community heat resilience program to ensure the program aligns 
        with the strategic plan and is administered in accordance with 
        the plan.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the financial assistance 
provided under this section is to improve community resilience to heat 
and heat-health impacts and further scientific research to address 
adaptation gaps and priorities.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Forms of Assistance.--Financial assistance provided 
under this section may be in the form of contracts, grants, or 
cooperative agreements.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Eligible Entities.--Entities eligible to receive 
financial assistance under this section to carry out projects described 
in subsection (e) include--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) nonprofit entities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) States;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Tribes;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) local governments; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) such other entities as the Director determines 
        to be eligible.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Eligible Projects.--Projects described in this 
subsection include the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Projects for cool roofs, cool pavements, urban 
        forestry or tree plantings and maintenance, the provision of 
        shade, cooling centers, retrofitting buildings for cooling, and 
        acquisitions or upgrades of filtration systems or high-
        efficiency air conditioning systems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Training programs to support the development 
        and integration of education and training programs for 
        identifying and addressing risks associated with climate change 
        for vulnerable individuals.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Projects--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) to expand public awareness of heat 
                risks;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) to communicate risks and warnings to 
                geographically, socially, and linguistically isolated 
                communities;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) to educate such communities about how 
                to respond to extreme heat events; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) to further scientific research 
                regarding extreme heat events.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Other projects that the Director determines 
        will achieve a significant reduction in heat exposure or 
        increased resilience to extreme heat events.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Priorities.--In selecting eligible entities to receive 
financial assistance under this section, the Director shall prioritize 
entities that will carry out projects that provide benefits for 
historically disadvantaged communities and communities with significant 
heat disparities associated with race, ethnicity, or income.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Distribution of Assistance.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Environmental justice and low-income 
        communities.--Not less than 40 percent of the amount of 
        financial assistance provided under this section in any fiscal 
        year shall be provided to eligible entities to implement 
        projects described in subsection (e) in environmental justice 
        communities or low-income communities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Equitable distribution.--The Director shall 
        seek to equitably distribute financial assistance provided 
        under this section based on geographic location or such other 
        factors as the Director determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (h) Matching Requirement.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--An entity that receives financial 
        assistance to carry out a project under this section shall 
        contribute, from non-Federal sources, funds for the project in 
        such amount as the Director determines appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Waiver.--The Director may waive the 
        requirement under paragraph (1) for an entity if the Director 
        determines that the entity does not have adequate resources to 
        meet the requirement.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (i) Reports.--The Committee shall require the Director to 
submit to the Committee, on an annual basis, a report on actions, 
outcomes, research needs, and data gaps under this section.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) National Integrated Heat Health Information System 
Interagency Committee; National Integrated Heat Health Information 
System Program; Study on Extreme Heat Information and Response.--There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to carry out sections 4, 5, and 6, including 
for any administrative costs for the National Integrated Heat Health 
Information System Interagency Committee and the National Integrated 
Heat Health Information System Program, the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) For fiscal year 2022, $20,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) For fiscal year 2023, $20,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) For fiscal year 2024, $20,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) For fiscal year 2025, $20,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) For fiscal year 2026, $20,000,000.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Financial Assistance for Resilience in Addressing 
Extreme Heat and Health Risks.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out 
section 7 the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) For fiscal year 2022, $10,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) For fiscal year 2023, $10,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) For fiscal year 2024, $20,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) For fiscal year 2025, $30,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) For fiscal year 2026, $30,000,000.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Preventing Health Emergencies And 
Temperature-related Illness and Deaths Act of 2021'' or the 
``Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Extreme heat.--The term ``extreme heat'' means heat 
        that substantially exceeds local climatological norms in terms 
        of any combination of the following:
                    (A) Duration of an individual heat event.
                    (B) Intensity.
                    (C) Season length.
                    (D) Frequency.
            (2) Heat.--The term ``heat'' means any combination of the 
        atmospheric parameters associated with modulating human thermal 
        regulation, such as air temperature, humidity, solar exposure, 
        and wind speed.
            (3) Heat event.--The term ``heat event'' means an 
        occurrence of extreme heat that may have heat-health 
        implications.
            (4) Heat-health.--The term ``heat-health'' means health 
        effects to humans from heat or the risk of such effects.
            (5) Planning.--The term ``planning'' means activities 
        performed across timescales (including days, weeks, months, 
        years, and decades) with scenario-based, probabilistic or 
        deterministic information to identify and take actions to 
        proactively mitigate heat-health risks from increased 
        frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves and increased 
        ambient temperature.
            (6) Preparedness.--The term ``preparedness'' means 
        activities performed across timescales (including days, weeks, 
        months, years, and decades) with probabilistic or deterministic 
        information to manage risk in advance of a heat event and 
        increased ambient temperature.
            (7) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government'' 
        means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska 
        Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, 
        component band, or component reservation, individually 
        identified (including parenthetically) in the list published 
        most recently as of the date of enactment of this Act pursuant 
        to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List 
        Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
            (8) Vulnerable populations.--The term ``vulnerable 
        populations'' means populations that face health, financial, 
        educational, or housing disparities that would render them more 
        susceptible to the negative impacts of extreme heat.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEAT HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM INTERAGENCY 
              COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment of Committee.--There is established within the 
Office of Science and Technology Policy an interagency committee, to be 
known as the ``National Integrated Heat Health Information System 
Interagency Committee'' (in this section referred to as the 
``Committee'').
    (b) Purpose.--The Committee shall coordinate, plan, and direct 
agencies represented on the Committee to execute, as appropriate, 
activities across such agencies to ensure a united Federal approach to 
reducing health risks from heat across timescales (including days, 
weeks, months, years, and decades).
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--In order to carry out and achieve the 
        purpose described in subsection (b), the Committee shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) The Director of the National Integrated Heat 
                Health Information System.
                    (B) Not fewer than 1 representative from each of 
                the following:
                            (i) From the Department of Commerce, the 
                        following:
                                    (I) From the National Oceanic and 
                                Atmospheric Administration, the 
                                following:
                                            (aa) The National Weather 
                                        Service.
                                            (bb) The Climate Program 
                                        Office of the Office of Oceanic 
                                        and Atmospheric Research.
                                    (II) The National Institute of 
                                Standards and Technology.
                                    (III) The Bureau of the Census.
                            (ii) From the Department of Health and 
                        Human Services, the following:
                                    (I) The National Institute for 
                                Occupational Safety and Health of the 
                                Centers for Disease Control and 
                                Prevention.
                                    (II) The Office of the Assistant 
                                Secretary of Health and Human Services 
                                for Preparedness and Response.
                                    (III) The Substance Abuse and 
                                Mental Health Services Administration.
                                    (IV) The National Institutes of 
                                Health.
                                    (V) The Indian Health Service.
                            (iii) From the Department of the Interior, 
                        the following:
                                    (I) The Bureau of Indian Affairs.
                                    (II) The Bureau of Land Management.
                            (iv) From the Environmental Protection 
                        Agency, the following:
                                    (I) The Office of Environmental 
                                Justice.
                                    (II) The Office of Air and 
                                Radiation, if the Administrator of the 
                                Environmental Protection Agency 
                                determines appropriate.
                                    (III) The Office of Research and 
                                Development, if the Administrator 
                                determines appropriate.
                            (v) The Federal Emergency Management 
                        Agency.
                            (vi) The Department of Defense.
                            (vii) The Occupational Safety and Health 
                        Administration.
                            (viii) The Department of Agriculture.
                            (ix) The Department of Housing and Urban 
                        Development.
                            (x) The Department of Transportation.
                            (xi) The Department of Energy.
                            (xii) The National Aeronautics and Space 
                        Administration.
                            (xiii) Such other Federal agencies as the 
                        Director of the Office of Science and 
                        Technology Policy considers appropriate.
            (2) Selection of representatives.--The head of an agency 
        specified in paragraph (1)(B) shall, in appointing 
        representatives of the agency to the Committee, select 
        representatives who have expertise in areas relevant to the 
        responsibilities of the Committee.
            (3) Co-chairs.--
                    (A) In general.--The members of the Committee shall 
                select 2 individuals from among such members to serve 
                as co-chairs of the Committee, subject to the approval 
                of the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
                Policy.
                    (B) Selection.--
                            (i) Initial selection.--Of the co-chairs 
                        first selected, one co-chair shall be from the 
                        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
                        and one co-chair shall be from the Centers for 
                        Disease Control and Prevention.
                            (ii) Subsequent selection.--Subsequent co-
                        chairs shall be selected from among the members 
                        of the Committee.
                    (C) Terms.--Each co-chair shall serve for a term of 
                not more than 3 years.
                    (D) Responsibilities of co-chairs.--The co-chairs 
                of the Committee shall--
                            (i) determine the agenda of the Committee, 
                        in consultation with other members of the 
                        Committee;
                            (ii) direct the work of the Committee; and
                            (iii) convene meetings of the Committee not 
                        less frequently than once each fiscal quarter.
    (d) Responsibilities of Committee.--The Committee shall promote an 
integrated, Federal Government-wide approach to reducing health risks 
and impacts of heat, including by--
            (1) developing the strategic plan required by subsection 
        (e);
            (2) coordinating across Federal agencies on heat-health 
        communication, research, service delivery, and workforce 
        development; and
            (3) building capacity and partnerships with Federal and 
        non-Federal entities.
    (e) Strategic Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Committee shall submit to 
        Congress and make available on a public website a 5-year 
        integrated strategic plan that outlines the goals and projects 
        of the Committee, including how the Committee will improve 
        coordination and integration of interagency Federal actions to 
        address health risks of heat, including--
                    (A) a strategy for improving and coordinating 
                existing Federal data collection and sharing on heat-
                related illnesses and mortalities to inform Federal 
                heat-related activities; and
                    (B) mechanisms for financing heat preparedness 
                within such agencies as the Committee considers 
                appropriate.
            (2) Implementation plans.--The head of an agency 
        represented on the Committee may implement the portions of the 
        strategic plan required by paragraph (1) that are relevant to 
        that agency by developing and implementing a multi-year 
        implementation plan.
            (3) Updates.--Not later than 5 years after the submission 
        of the strategic plan required by paragraph (1), and every 5 
        years thereafter until 2042, the Committee shall submit to 
        Congress an update of the plan, which shall include progress 
        made toward goals outlined in the plan and new priorities that 
        emerge.
    (f) Consultation.--In carrying out the responsibilities of the 
Committee, the Committee shall consult with relevant regional, State, 
Tribal, and local governments, international organizations and 
partners, research institutions, nongovernmental organizations and 
associations, and medical experts with expertise in emergency response, 
environmental health, economic or business development, or community 
engagement.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEAT HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere shall establish within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration a system, to be known as the ``National Integrated Heat 
Health Information System'' (NIHHIS) (in this section referred to as 
the ``System'').
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the System is--
            (1) to improve the capacity of weather, subseasonal, and 
        seasonal forecasts for the United States to allow the Federal 
        Government and stakeholders to plan, prepare for, adapt to, and 
        mitigate risks of extreme heat across multiple timescales; and
            (2) to facilitate the work of the National Integrated Heat 
        Health Information System Interagency Committee.
    (c) Director.--The System shall be headed by a Director.
    (d) Responsibilities.--In carrying out the purpose described in 
subsection (b), the Director shall--
            (1) develop and sustain robust relationships with Federal 
        and non-Federal partners and decisionmakers--
                    (A) to respond to the demand for actionable 
                weather- and climate-related information that reduces 
                health risks on multiple timescales; and
                    (B) to develop and deliver timely and accessible 
                weather- and climate-related decision support services, 
                tools, and information to inform planning, 
                preparedness, and risk-reducing actions across 
                timescales;
            (2) coordinate and collaborate with the international 
        community and global partners to conduct research and learn 
        from, leverage, and contribute to global weather and climate 
        knowledge as it pertains to extreme heat;
            (3) enhance observations and monitoring necessary for the 
        activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
            (4) communicate, educate, and build awareness regarding 
        extreme heat events to communities, educational and economic 
        sectors, Tribal governments, and other relevant stakeholders.

SEC. 5. STUDY ON EXTREME HEAT INFORMATION AND RESPONSE.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
        Oceans and Atmosphere, in consultation with the National 
        Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee 
        and the entities described in section 3(f), shall seek to enter 
        into an agreement with the National Academies of Science, 
        Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on extreme heat 
        information and response, to be completed not later than 2 
        years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Elements.--The study described in paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) identify the policy, research, operations, 
                communications, and data gaps affecting heat-health 
                planning, preparedness, response, resilience, and 
                adaptation, and impacts to vulnerable populations;
                    (B) provide recommendations for addressing gaps 
                identified under subparagraph (A);
                    (C) provide recommendations, in addition to the 
                recommendations provided under subparagraph (B), which 
                may include strategies for--
                            (i) communicating warnings to and promoting 
                        resilience of populations vulnerable to extreme 
                        heat;
                            (ii) distributing extreme heat warnings, 
                        including to individuals with limited English 
                        proficiency and individuals who may have other 
                        established barriers to such information;
                            (iii) designing warnings described in 
                        clause (ii) to convey the urgency and severity 
                        of heat events and achieve behavior changes 
                        that reduce the mortality and morbidity of 
                        extreme heat effects;
                            (iv) understanding compound and cascading 
                        risks to inform development and implementation 
                        of heat-health risk reduction interventions; 
                        and
                            (v) promoting community resilience and 
                        addressing specific decision support service 
                        needs of vulnerable populations; and
                    (D) consider the effectiveness of country- or 
                local-level heat awareness and communication tools, 
                preparedness plans, or mitigation.
            (3) Development of definitions.--In conducting the study 
        described in paragraph (1), the National Academies of Sciences, 
        Engineering, and Medicine shall work with heat and health 
        experts to identify consistent and agreed upon definitions for 
        heat events, heat waves, and other relevant terms.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after completion of the study 
described in subsection (a)(1), the Committee shall--
            (1) make available to the public on an internet website of 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a report on 
        the findings and conclusions of the study; and
            (2) submit the report to--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
                of the House of Representatives;
                    (D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives; and
                    (E) the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
                House of Representatives.

SEC. 6. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR RESEARCH AND RESILIENCE IN ADDRESSING 
              EXTREME HEAT RISKS.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere 
shall establish and administer a community heat resilience program to 
provide financial assistance to eligible entities to carry out projects 
described in subsection (e) to ameliorate human health impacts of 
extreme heat events.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the financial assistance provided 
under this section is to further scientific research regarding extreme 
heat and fund efforts to educate communities about extreme heat.
    (c) Forms of Assistance.--Financial assistance provided under this 
section may be in the form of contracts, grants, or cooperative 
agreements.
    (d) Eligible Entities.--Entities eligible to receive financial 
assistance under this section to carry out projects described in 
subsection (e) include--
            (1) nonprofit entities;
            (2) States;
            (3) Tribal governments;
            (4) local governments; and
            (5) academic institutions.
    (e) Eligible Projects.--Projects described in this subsection 
include projects--
            (1) to expand public awareness of heat risks;
            (2) to conduct heat mapping campaigns;
            (3) to conduct scientific research to assess gaps and 
        priorities regarding the risks of extreme heat in communities;
            (4) to communicate risks to isolated communities; and
            (5) to educate such communities about how to respond to 
        extreme heat events.
    (f) Priorities.--In selecting eligible entities to receive 
financial assistance under this section, the Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall prioritize entities that will 
carry out projects that provide benefits for historically disadvantaged 
communities and communities found to have the greatest risk or highest 
incidence of heat-related illnesses and mortalities.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency 
Committee; National Integrated Heat Health Information System.--There 
is authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to carry out sections 3 and 4, including for 
any administrative costs for the National Integrated Heat Health 
Information System Interagency Committee and the National Integrated 
Heat Health Information System, $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2023 through 2027.
    (b) Study on Extreme Heat Information and Response.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to contract with the National Academies of Science, 
Engineering, and Medicine to carry out section 5 $500,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2023 through 2025.
    (c) Financial Assistance to Address Extreme Heat.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration to carry out section 6 $1,500,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2027.
                                                       Calendar No. 624

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2510

_______________________________________________________________________