Biden Administration responds to request to protect community from extreme heat

Standards to be put in place for protection from heat

WASHINGTON – On Sept. 20, the Biden administration announced they will develop cooling standard assistance for the community in order to protect workers and civilians from extreme heat.

Representative Raúl M. Grijalva praised President Biden’s developmental work by saying it's one of the "first of many necessary steps" to combat the effects of climate change.

Members of Congress, including Rep. Rijalva, have long wanted standards in place to prevent exposure from extreme heat indoors and outdoors.

Rep. Grijalva and Rep. Judy Chu proposed the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act named for Asunción Valdivia, a farmworker who died after picking grapes for a ten-hour shift in 105-degree heat.

“While this decision to implement a federal heat safety standard is the first of many necessary steps to address the impacts of climate change, we must act quickly to pass a permanent standard to protect our family members, friends, neighbors, and workers from extreme heat,” stated Rep. Grijalva.

“In Arizona and across the country, climate-related disasters and rising temperatures pose serious threats to workers. I applaud the Biden administration for responding to the urgency of this situation. As we move ahead, we must continue to pursue forward-looking federal policies to address the growing climate crisis and build a more resilient and sustainable economy, while protecting our workers as our most valuable resource.”