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July 19, 2018

Congressional Panel Discussion Tomorrow on the Impact of Climate Change on Public Health and Natural Disasters

(WASHINGTON) – Tomorrow, Friday, July 20th, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, will sponsor a Congressional panel discussion, entitled “Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Public Health and Natural Disasters.” The panel discussion will be an opportunity to hear from policy experts on how the Federal government should incorporate climate change in its preparedness plan for natural disasters and how it should work to mitigate the public health impacts of climate change.

Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Public Health and Natural Disasters
Sponsored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS)

Friday, July 20th
12:00 PM

Congressional Meeting Room South (CVC 217)
Capitol Visitor’s Center, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC

Moderated by:
Susan Polan, Ph.D., Public Affairs and Advocacy Associate Executive Director, American Public Health Association

Panelists:
Marccus D. Hendricks, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Professor, Urban Studies and Planning Program, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland
Chelsea L. Gridley-Smith, Ph.D., Senior Program Analyst, Environmental Health, National Association of County & City Health Officials
Kristie Trousdale, MPH, Deputy Director, Children's Environmental Health Network
Carmen Orozco-Acosta, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, US Domestic Program, Oxfam America
Dara Alpert Lieberman, MPP, Senior Government Relations Manager, Trust for America’s Health

Biographies

Refreshments served

With the rise of global surface temperatures, there is increased probability of more droughts and severe storms. In FEMA’s 2018 Strategic Plan, the Trump Administration removed climate change from the entire document.  The plan makes no reference to rising sea levels, extreme weather, global warming or anything related to climate change, even though 2017 was the costliest year for natural disasters ever and the severity of the 2017 hurricane season was unprecedented.  Further, in their newly released 2017 Hurricane Season After-Action Report, FEMA failed to mention the impact of climate change.

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Media contact: Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978