Staff Reports
Due to the record-breaking heat waves that have affected the country, US President Joe Biden will unveil a plan on Thursday to address the issue of climate change and the rising temperatures. The president's plan will involve investing in weather forecasting and providing grants to help communities have access to clean drinking water.
Officials from FEMA and NOAA will be briefing the president about the various steps they're taking to protect Americans from the effects of the extreme heat.
President Biden will announce new measures on Thursday aimed at helping communities across the U.S. deal with extreme weather, as rising temperatures scorch much of the country and amplify alarms about the climate crisis.https://t.co/6LLl3cHaON
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 27, 2023
During a press briefing, Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the Biden administration, said that the mayors of San Antonio, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona, will be discussing the effects of climate change on their communities. The officials have been working to address the rising temperatures in the US by establishing cooling stations and deploying FEMA personnel in areas affected by severe weather.
Over a third of the country is still on alert due to the prolonged heatwave, which has affected the country for several weeks now. In response to the situation, Congressman Greg Casar and a group of other Democrats asked the Biden administration to issue new workplace restrictions to deal with the extreme heat.
The congressmen asked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop regulations that would require employers to provide adequate acclimatization plans for workers who are expected to work in high heat conditions.
In Phoenix, Arizona, the effects of the prolonged heatwave are being felt more acutely as the temperature in the city has reached over 110 degrees Fahrenheit for 27 consecutive days. According to the CDC, over 700 people die in the US annually due to the effects of the heatwave. In 2022, over 400 people died in Maricopa County due to the effects of the heatwave.
A bipartisan bill was also introduced by Sylvia Garcia, Mark Amodei, and Ruben Gallego, which would allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide aid to address the growing issue of high temperatures. The legislation would allocate $30 million annually until 2030 for a grant program that would primarily benefit low-income communities, though it did not receive support from Republicans.
The actions taken by the Biden administration in addressing climate change and the issue of extreme heat align with the sentiments of many Americans who are already struggling with the effects of such phenomena. It is too early to tell if these measures will be able to help in curbing the effects of heat or preserving the nation's communities.
The plan by President Biden to address the issue of climate change and extreme heat underscores the commitment of his administration to tackling the most critical issues of our time, as evidenced by the record-breaking heatwaves that have affected the nation. The effects of global warming and rising temperatures are clear, as these have led to the deaths of countless individuals each year.
The Biden administration's commitment to protecting the public from the effects of extreme heat is evidenced by its efforts to provide drinking water and weather forecasts. It is also encouraging to see politicians from both parties working together to address the issue.
Unfortunately, despite the efforts made by the Biden administration, Republican members of the House of Representatives did not support the measures aimed at protecting the public from the harmful effects of climate change. It is now up to Congress to take immediate action to address the issue of global warming.
