Sponsors (4)
The bill creates a funded federal office, planning, and scientific infrastructure to prioritize climate-related health protections—especially for disadvantaged communities—while imposing new federal costs, administrative and compliance burdens, and potential tensions over resource allocation and federal–local authority.
Federal, state, and local public health systems: establishes a new Office of Climate Change and Health Equity with a Director and stable funding (including $10M/year and planning/advisory funds) to coordinate federal climate-health actions.
Communities of color, low-income populations, Tribal/Indigenous peoples, and medically underserved areas: creates explicit recognition and prioritization (assessments, aligned resources, and services) to reduce climate-related health disparities and improve resilience.
Public health agencies, hospitals, healthcare workers, and patients: requires a national strategic action plan (published within 1 year), regular evidence-based reports, and measurable tracking to improve surveillance, preparedness, and accountability for climate-related health threats.
Taxpayers and the federal budget: increases federal spending (at least $10M/year plus recurring costs for reports, advisory support, and program implementation) that could raise deficits or require offsets.
State and local governments, hospitals, and other public health programs: new funded activities and offices may divert limited staff and resources away from existing public health priorities if overall budgets are constrained.
Hospitals, health systems, and local health agencies: recommended emissions reductions, new reporting, and potential policy changes from the plan or advisory reports could impose compliance, operational, and administrative costs on providers and local agencies.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Establishes an HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, an advisory board, National Academies reporting, a national strategic action plan, and authorizes related funding.
Creates an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity within HHS to coordinate federal actions on how climate change affects health and the health care system. The Office will develop a national strategic action plan within one year, track climate-related health data, expand modeling and preparedness, prioritize environmental justice and medically underserved communities, and lead efforts to reduce the health sector’s greenhouse gas and environmental impacts. Establishes a permanent Science Advisory Board and a funded agreement with the National Academies to produce periodic public reports to inform policy and measure progress. Authorizes specific funding: $10 million annually for FY2026–FY2031 for the Office, plus one-time amounts in FY2026 for the plan and advisory board work.
Introduced July 17, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress July 17, 2025