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“Extreme heat is responsible for more deaths each year than most other natural hazards combined, and local governments are on the frontlines responding to this crisis,” Stanton said in a press release. “Our bipartisan legislation takes the common sense and overdue step of unlocking federal disaster dollars to help cities, towns and tribal communities respond to extreme heat events.”

The legislation was referred on July 23 to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, with Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri as its chair.

If passed, the bill would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to collaborate with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to clearly define an extreme heat event. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote a letter to FEMA in July asking for similar changes.

Local jurisdictions that reach the threshold would be able to apply for newly-established Heat Management Assistance Grants (HMAGs). Arizona received a similar Fire Management Assistance Grant to help fight the Watch Fire on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in July.

“We appreciate the work of Reps. Stanton and Chavez-DeRemer to introduce new legislation that will help Phoenix and many other communities in the country save even more lives from intensifying heat,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said. “We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration with FEMA, CDC and NOAA, and encourage Congress to pass the (bill).”

Maricopa County saw a 50% year-over-year increase with 645 heat-related deaths in 2023, according to the release.