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119-s-4376119th CongressWALLET

Youth Climate Leadership Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

Introduced

Summary

Would create Youth Advisory Councils across five federal agencies to bring youth voices into environmental policy and prioritize environmental justice for disadvantaged communities.

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  • Young people and youth advocates: Gives 16–29-year-olds a formal advisory role at EPA, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce through councils of 15–25 non-Federal members serving two-year terms.
  • Disadvantaged communities: Requires at least 50% of members to live, work, or come from communities identified by the Justice40 initiative, so youth from those communities are prioritized in recommendations.
  • Federal agencies and decisionmaking: Councils must meet at least annually, prepare yearly reports on climate, pollution, resiliency, and environmental justice, receive agency briefings and administrative support, and are exempted from the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

*If enacted, the bill would authorize about $1.3 million per year across the five agencies and about $13.8 million total for FY2027–2037, increasing federal spending.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Youth advisory councils at agencies

If enacted, the bill would require five federal agencies (EPA, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce) to create Youth Advisory Councils. The councils would give recommendations on climate change, pollution reduction, resiliency, and environmental justice for young people. Councils would focus on programs and performance measures for disadvantaged communities and research on harms to youth. The EPA Administrator could designate the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council to serve as EPA’s council.

Youth council membership and eligibility

If enacted, each council would have 15 to 25 non-Federal members with environmental knowledge. Members must be age 16 through 29 at appointment. At least 50 percent must come from, live in, or work in disadvantaged communities. Agencies must seek geographic diversity and limit any one listed background to no more than 60 percent. Members would serve two-year terms and agencies would appoint two co-chairs and two vice-chairs.

Youth council operations and transparency

If enacted, each agency would name a full-time designated Federal officer to supervise its Youth Advisory Council and provide administrative support. Councils could form subcommittees and must meet at least annually. Meetings would be open to the public unless closed under law, and the public would be able to attend, testify, and file written comments. Agencies would provide an educational curriculum to members and each council must submit at least an annual report of recommendations.

Youth councils exempt from advisory law

If enacted, the bill would provide that section 1013 of title 5, United States Code (a provision of the Federal Advisory Committee Act) does not apply to Youth Advisory Councils created under this Act. This would reduce certain procedural requirements that normally apply to advisory committees. The change would take effect upon enactment.

Annual funding for agency youth councils

If enacted, the bill would authorize $250,000 to be appropriated to each of the EPA, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce for each fiscal year 2027 through 2037 to carry out the Act. This language authorizes funds but does not itself appropriate money; Congress would still need to approve the actual funding.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

MA • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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