Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has introduced legislation to declare extreme heat temperatures as a major disaster under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines.
Essentially, the Extreme Heat Emergency Act requires the federal government to assist state and local governments in mitigating the effects of extreme heat waves.
After all, late June saw a heat dome, or a spike in temperatures over a specific area, affecting several parts of the country. Maryland reported that 472 people required medical assistance due to the extreme heat.
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In Maricopa County alone, 275 people have lost their lives under similar circumstances, and as summer continues, more may unfortunately succumb.
"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 Sen. Gallego in his press release, adding, "By adding extreme heat to FEMA's list of major disasters, we can unlock the funds and support our communities desperately need."
Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), the bill's cosponsor, said, "Last year, more than 500 people died in one single county in Nevada from heat-related illnesses."
"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," Sen. Rosen continued. "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."
At the beginning of June, Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ) helped form the bipartisan Extreme Heat Caucus with Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) in the House, introducing a similar bill aimed at enhancing FEMA's ability to respond to extreme heat events.
"Heat isn't just uncomfortable—as we know in Arizona, it can be deadly. Extreme heat is the number one weather-related cause of death in the U.S. It kills more people each year than hurricanes and tornadoes combined," said Rep. Stanton in June, adding, "Federal authorities need to get ahead of this slow-moving natural disaster. I'm proud to be leading the charge in Congress with proactive legislation and by convening a bipartisan group of lawmakers to tackle this challenge head-on."
