Sec. 5. Examination of extreme heat information and response
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Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and after consultation with the entities described in section 4(e)(1), the National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee (in this section referred to as the Committee ) shall complete a study on opportunities for improving data collection, warning communications, resilience of vulnerable populations, and response capacity for current and future heat-affected communities. The study required by paragraph
(1)shall— identify policy and research gaps, such as— regions of the United States with the largest gaps between awareness, preparedness, and capacity to address extreme heat; heat-related gaps in data, such as— the number of schools, prisons, and other public facilities that lack air conditioning; the number of energy blackouts that occur in the United States as a result of extreme heat; and the demographic breakdown of people affected by heat events, including by race, age, gender, occupation, and income; consider 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; evaluate mechanisms for financing heat preparedness; evaluate the effectiveness of county- or local-level heat awareness and communication tools, preparedness plans, or mitigation; and consider such other subjects as the Committee finds appropriate. The study required by paragraph
(1)shall include policy recommendations for communicating warnings to and promoting resilience of populations vulnerable to extreme heat. The recommendations required by subparagraph
(A)may include strategies for— effectively distributing extreme heat warnings, including to individuals with limited English proficiency and individuals who are socially isolated or with other established barriers to such information; implementing alternatives to public cooling centers given concerns related to COVID–19 and spread of disease in indoor spaces; designing such warnings 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; addressing data gaps identified under paragraph (2)(A)(ii); promoting community resilience to heat events and incorporating principles of environmental justice in community response to heat waves; regulating against utility companies shutting off power during heat waves; and establishing labor and other standards for workers and heat. Not later than 90 days after completing the study required by subsection (a)(1), the Committee shall— 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 submit the report to— the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives; the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives.