Coordinated Federal Response to Extreme Heat Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3704
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-04: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:48:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Coordinated Federal Response to Extreme Heat Act of 2025 aims to lower health risks from extreme heat by creating a coordinated federal system. It establishes the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and an interagency committee to enhance preparedness, planning, and response to extreme heat events across government agencies.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: The bill defines key terms to clarify scope, including:
- Extreme heat: Heat that goes well beyond local norms in duration, intensity, season length, or frequency.
- Heat event: An extreme heat period lasting 2 or more days with potential health effects.
- Heat-health: Human health impacts from heat, including risks from exposure or vulnerability.
- Preparedness and planning: Activities to manage and mitigate heat risks over short (days/weeks) and long (years/decades) timescales using tools and scenarios.
- Tribal government: Recognized governing bodies of Native American tribes, bands, or Alaska Native villages.
- National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee (Section 3):
- Establishes the committee within NOAA to unite federal efforts in reducing heat-related health risks.
- Membership: Includes the NIHHIS Director and at least one expert representative from major agencies, such as NOAA (weather, research, satellite services), Department of Health and Human Services (CDC, NIH, Indian Health Service), Department of the Interior (Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service), EPA, FEMA, and others like Defense, Agriculture, Labor, and State.
- Leadership: Three co-chairs (one each from NOAA, HHS, and FEMA initially) selected by members and approved by NOAA's Under Secretary; they set agendas, direct work, and hold quarterly meetings. Terms last up to 5 years.
- Responsibilities: Develop a 5-year strategic plan (due within 2 years of enactment) focusing on data sharing for heat illnesses/mortalities, research on user needs and innovations, and funding mechanisms for heat planning. The plan must be submitted to Congress and posted online, with updates every 5 years. The committee also coordinates communication, research, services, and partnerships, consulting state, Tribal, local governments; international partners; research institutions; NGOs; medical experts; and other stakeholders.
- National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) (Section 4):
- Establishes NIHHIS within NOAA to deliver better data, forecasts, warnings, and projections on temperature and extreme heat impacts.
- Develops science-based tools for decision-making on heat effects to people, property, and the economy.
- Supports heat-health research in coordination with the interagency committee.
- Data Management: Ensures data and metadata are openly available (per federal records and evidence-based policymaking laws) to support system goals. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information will archive data, with at least one designated warning coordination meteorologist (a specialist in linking weather forecasts to emergency responses).
- Funding (Section 5): Authorizes $5 million annually to NOAA for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to cover committee and NIHHIS operations, including administrative costs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces entirely new federal structures—the interagency committee and NIHHIS—that did not previously exist in this integrated form. It builds on existing laws like the Federal Records Act (governing data management) and the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act (defining meteorologist roles) but mandates novel coordination across 16+ agencies. It requires a strategic plan for heat-health data and research, which expands beyond current fragmented efforts in weather forecasting (e.g., NOAA) and public health (e.g., CDC) without altering prior statutes directly.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Promotes interagency collaboration, potentially streamlining data sharing and resource allocation for heat response. NOAA gains a central role in heat-health integration, while agencies like HHS and FEMA must align activities, possibly increasing workload but improving efficiency in emergencies.
- Citizens: Enhances access to heat forecasts, warnings, and tools, reducing risks of heat-related illnesses, deaths, and economic losses, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly, outdoor workers, and low-income communities. Better preparedness could save lives during heat events.
- International Relations: Limited direct impact, but the committee's consultations with international partners (via State Department and USAID) could foster global data sharing on heat risks, supporting broader climate adaptation efforts without binding commitments.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: NOAA (lead), HHS (health focus), FEMA (emergency response), EPA (environmental aspects), and others listed in membership, who must contribute expertise and resources.
- State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Consulted for planning; Tribal governments explicitly included via agencies like Indian Health Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs, addressing unique vulnerabilities in Native communities.
- Citizens and Communities: Particularly those at high risk from heat, such as urban residents, agricultural workers, and underserved populations, benefiting from improved warnings and services.
- Non-Governmental Entities: Research institutions, NGOs, medical experts, and businesses (e.g., in economic development) involved in consultations and partnerships for research and implementation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Ensures compliance with open data laws, promoting transparency without creating new enforceable rights for individuals. The bill's focus on coordination avoids overriding agency authorities, relying on voluntary implementation of the strategic plan.
- Constitutional: Aligns with federal powers over interstate commerce, public health, and environmental protection (e.g., under the Commerce Clause); no apparent conflicts with states' rights, as it emphasizes consultation rather than mandates.
- Political: Addresses rising extreme heat as a public health crisis linked to climate change, potentially setting a precedent for integrated federal responses to environmental hazards. Bipartisan sponsorship (24 cosponsors from both parties) suggests broad support, but funding authorization may spark debates on budget priorities amid fiscal constraints.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
Cosponsors (27)
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Liccardo, Sam T. [D-CA-16], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Rivas, Luz M. [D-CA-29], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-04: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-06-04: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-06-04: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-04: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Coordinated Federal Response to Extreme Heat Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-04 — PDF (14 pages)