Sponsors (4)
The bill creates a federally coordinated Office, funding, science advisory process, and national plan to protect vulnerable communities and strengthen climate‑health preparedness and surveillance — delivering targeted public health benefits and institutional capacity at the cost of increased federal spending, new reporting/compliance burdens, and potential administrative or political complexity.
Low-income, racial/ethnic minority, Tribal, and medically underserved communities will receive statutory recognition and targeted federal attention to reduce climate-related health and environmental harms.
State, local, and Tribal public health agencies, hospitals, and healthcare workers will gain a permanent federal Office (with a Director), dedicated funding, and a required national strategic action plan (within 1 year) to coordinate preparedness and response to climate-linked health threats.
Public health agencies, healthcare systems, and communities will benefit from expanded disease surveillance, modeling, and forecasting for climate-linked risks (vector-, water-, air‑borne illnesses and heat), improving detection and response.
Taxpayers could face increased federal spending for the new Office, surveillance systems, recurring National Academies reports, and appropriations (including $10M/year funding), potentially adding to deficits or requiring offsets.
Hospitals, healthcare providers, and state/local governments may incur new reporting, compliance, and program costs to supply surveillance data, track emissions, and implement plan recommendations.
Private health-sector entities and small healthcare businesses could face capital and operational expenses to meet emissions‑reduction recommendations or future regulations.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Creates an HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, requires a national strategic action plan, a scientific advisory board, National Academies reports, and funds these efforts.
Official title: 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 workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate crisis, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 17, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress July 17, 2025
Creates an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at HHS to coordinate federal public health and health care system preparedness, response, and resilience to climate change. The bill requires a national strategic action plan, establishes a standing scientific advisory board and a partnership with the National Academies for periodic reports, and funds those activities with multi-year appropriations. The Office will track climate-related health impacts, serve as an authoritative information source, direct planning and workforce development, prioritize populations disproportionately affected (including environmental justice and medically underserved communities), and lead federal efforts to reduce the health sector's greenhouse gas and environmental footprint.