Stanton, Lawler Unveil Bipartisan Package to Strengthen America’s Response to Extreme Heat

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Extreme Heat Caucus, unveiled a bipartisan legislative package to combat the growing and deadly threat of extreme heat to public health, national security, infrastructure, and communities nationwide. Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in America — killing more people every year than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods combined. Phoenix continues to shatter heat records, with high temperatures arriving earlier and lasting longer, and now, scientists are predicting that 2026 and 2027 will rank among the hottest years on record. As a growing number of communities from the Southwest to the Northeast face greater risks from extreme heat, the Extreme Heat Caucus is championing bipartisan approaches to address this deadly threat. "In Phoenix, we just lived through our hottest spring on record, and we know the heat is only getting worse. This package gives Congress the awareness tools, the data, and the serious policy infrastructure to get ahead of a crisis that is already here. I'm grateful for Congressman Lawler's leadership and partnership in getting this done,” said Congressman Greg Stanton. "Extreme heat is not a future challenge; it is a present-day reality affecting communities in New York, Arizona, and across the country. This bipartisan package will help us better understand the scope of the problem, improve public awareness and preparedness, and ensure policymakers have the information needed to protect public health, strengthen resilience, and save lives,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. The package includes three measures: The National Extreme Heat Awareness Week — A resolution designating July 3–10, 2026, as National Extreme Heat Awareness Week, supporting a nationwide effort to educate Americans on the risks extreme heat poses to public health, infrastructure, agriculture, energy systems, and economic productivity. The Extreme Heat Congressional Advisory Commission Act — Establishes a bipartisan commission to examine extreme heat through national and global security lenses, evaluating its impacts on critical infrastructure, military readiness, economic stability, public health, and emergency preparedness. The commission would be tasked with delivering Congress both short- and long-term policy recommendations. The HEAT AI ACT — Establishes a pilot program within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to deploy artificial intelligence tools to improve the accuracy and consistency of heat-related mortality reporting, so public health officials, researchers, and policymakers finally have the data they need to understand the true toll of extreme heat and respond effectively.