The Coordinated Federal Response to Extreme Heat Act of 2025 establishes an interagency committee and a national information system to unify federal efforts in researching, preparing for, and mitigating the health risks associated with extreme heat.
Edward "Ed" Markey
Senator
MA
The Coordinated Federal Response to Extreme Heat Act of 2025 establishes a government-wide interagency committee to develop a unified strategy for mitigating heat-related health risks. The bill also creates the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) within NOAA to improve data collection, forecasting, and public access to actionable heat-health information. Together, these measures aim to enhance national preparedness and resilience against the growing dangers of extreme heat.
Extreme Heat Response Act Targets Health Risks with New National Warning System and $25 Million Strategy
The federal government is finally treating extreme heat like the major public health threat it is. This bill establishes a high-level command center—the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Interagency Committee—to make sure the dozens of agencies that handle everything from weather and labor to housing and health are actually talking to each other. By authorizing $5 million a year through 2029, the bill moves heat response out of the 'occasional emergency' category and into a permanent, coordinated federal strategy. It defines 'extreme heat' not just as a high number on a thermometer, but as conditions that actually break local norms and threaten the human body's ability to cool down.
Connecting the Dots on Data
Right now, if you’re a construction foreman trying to keep your crew safe or a city planner deciding where to put cooling centers, the data you need is often scattered across different websites and agencies. This bill fixes that by mandating that all heat-health data be fully and openly available. It requires the creation of science-based tools to help local leaders make better decisions during heat waves. For a warehouse manager or a delivery driver, this could eventually mean more accurate, hyper-local warnings that reflect the actual humidity and solar exposure on the ground, rather than just a generic city-wide temperature reading.
The Five-Year Game Plan
Within two years, this committee has to deliver a massive five-year strategic plan to Congress. This isn't just a report to sit on a shelf; it specifically requires a strategy for sharing data on heat-related illnesses and deaths in real-time. Think of it like the way we track flu or COVID-19 trends—the goal is to see where people are getting sick and why, so resources can be moved before a heat event becomes a tragedy. The plan also looks at how to fund heat planning for the long haul, ensuring that tribal, state, and local governments aren't left footing the bill for cooling infrastructure alone.
Who’s at the Table
The bill casts a wide net, pulling in everyone from the CDC and OSHA to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Education. This matters because heat hits everyone differently. For a student in an older school without air conditioning, or a veteran living in a city's 'heat island' where asphalt keeps things hot all night, the solutions aren't the same. By requiring the committee to consult with medical experts, business owners, and local tribal leaders, the legislation aims to ensure that the 'actionable information' it produces actually works for the person on the street, not just the bureaucrats in DC.