Thirty-two public and environmental health stakeholder groups, including AIBS, have urged Senate Appropriators to take prompt action to complete the fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations process and provide $6 million to the new Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE).
HHS established OCCHE a few months ago to address the effects of climate change on the health of the American people. This new office is charged with improving the Department’s preparedness and response to the climate emergency by working with other divisions within HHS to ensure climate change health issues are incorporated into their missions and programs.
“If current trends in climate change impacts continue and the opportunity to meet the current investment needs of OCCHE is passed by, we run the risk that many of the public health gains of the past century may be reversed,” warned the groups. “Without a final appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2022, including adequate funding for OCCHE, we will continue to be underprepared for the human health impacts of climate change.”
Stay current on the latest science policy news. Subscribe to our bi-weekly AIBS Public Policy Report.