Senators Rosen & Gallego, Representative Garcia Introduce Bill to Declare Extreme Heat as a Major Disaster

WASHINGTON, DC– U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) introduced legislation to declare extreme heat as a major disaster so that communities can access federal aid. TheirExtreme Heat Emergency Actwould explicitly authorize extreme heat as eligible for a Major Disaster Declaration by the President under theStafford Act, which recognizes fires, floods, explosions, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes as eligible disasters. This would help communities like those in Nevada, Arizona, and Texas access federal resources and funding to respond to these disasters and prepare for future extreme heat waves. On Monday, Las Vegas had the hottest day recorded so far this year, and the death toll of heat-related deaths has already risen to 29 people in Southern Nevada.
“Last year, more than 500 people died in one single county in Nevada from heat-related illnesses,”said Senator Rosen.“Current federal policy ignores the physical and health risks that such extremely high temperatures have on our communities, which is why I’m introducing a bill to change that. By classifying extreme heat as a major disaster, our communities will be able to receive the federal funding needed to respond and prepare for future extreme heat events.”
“Each year, extreme heat kills more Americans than every other form of extreme weather combined. But still the federal government sits on the sideline, leaving state and local governments to drain their funds trying to keep people safe,”said Senator Gallego.“By adding extreme heat to FEMA’s list of major disasters, we can unlock the funds and support our communities desperately need.”
“If you found out that thousands of Americans were dying every year from a single cause, you’d be shocked to learn that the federal government has no plan. But that’s exactly what’s happening with extreme heat. Without a disaster declaration, federal response teams and experts are forced to sit on the sidelines while people suffer and die. That’s unconscionable and it needs to change,”said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia.“I’m proud to sponsor the Extreme Heat Emergency Act with Senators Rosen and Gallego to ensure local and state governments don’t have to face this challenge alone. Federal law must catch up to the reality we’re living.”
“It’s only mid-July, and theSouthwest,Pacific Northwest,the Midwest,the Mid-Atlantic,and New Englandhave already experienced record high temperatures. Each year, extreme heat causesthousands of deathsandhundreds of billionsof dollars in damages to critical infrastructure and economic productivity and overwhelms the capabilities of local governments,”said Hannah Safford, Associate Director of Climate and Environment at the Federation of American Scientists.“The Extreme Heat Emergency Act recognizes extreme heat for what it is – an emergency – that the federal government needs to be ready to support response to before, during, and after the disaster. Recognizing extreme heat as an emergency is critical to a heat-ready nation, as FAS emphasizes in its2025 Heat Policy Agenda.”
Senator Rosen has been leading the fight to ensure that Nevadans have access to federal resources to stay safe during natural disasters. For years, she has beencallingon the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide federal assistance to address extreme heat in Nevada. Last summer, Senator Rosenvisiteda cooling center in Las Vegas to discuss the need for federal resources to protect against extreme heat.
###