Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored legislation introduced by Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) to improve America’s public health response to climate change by supporting research, health impact monitoring, and preparation in the health sector and by developing a national action plan. The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a National Strategic Action Plan to assist health professionals in preparing for and responding to the public health effects of climate change.
“Nevadans understand what’s at stake if Congress doesn’t take action on climate change. It’s not just our environment and our economy that would be impacted, but also the health of our families. From increasing the number of Nevadans with chronic respiratory diseases like asthma, to exacerbating the spread of infectious diseases across America, climate change is a real threat to public health. I’m proud to join Senator Markey as we work to ensure America’s readiness for the public health challenges posed by climate change.”
BACKGROUND
Specifically, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act would:
- Provide technical support to state and local health departments to develop preparedness plans and conduct community outreach;
- Enhance forecasting and modeling, track environmental and disease data and expand research capacity to better understand the relationship between climate change and health;
- Enhance domestic and international tracking capacity for infectious diseases and environmental health indicators;
- Develop a coordinated research and preparedness agenda on climate and health.