Green New Deal for Health Act
Sponsored By: Representative Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Introduced
Summary
Align federal health programs and hospitals with climate resilience and equitable decarbonization. This bill would create an HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity and a National Strategic Action Plan and fund large grants, research, hospital-closure rules, workforce supports, and Medicare coverage for home resiliency items.
Show full summary
- Hospitals and health systems would face new review rules for proposed closures and access impacts and gain major funding for climate-ready upgrades, including a $100.0 billion Hill-Burton climate grant for FY2027 and a $5.0 billion planning grant program. These funds prioritize resilience, renewable energy, and protecting access routes.
- Patients, households, and communities would get new directed programs: Medicare home resiliency services for medically at-risk people, community mental wellness grants at $100.0 million per year, and priority funding for environmental-justice and rural communities. The plan requires community engagement and tracking of health impacts.
- Health workers, training, and science would get big investments and oversight. The bill would authorize $9.0 billion for climate-health education in 2027 and create a National Climate and Health Research and Innovation Initiative funded at $5.0 billion per year through 2036, plus a permanent science advisory board and a CMS Office of Sustainability.
*This bill would authorize at least $300.0 billion in new federal spending across multiple years, increasing federal outlays.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
More community health and mental grants
If enacted, the bill would fund community health projects with large new appropriations for 2027–2031, including $130 billion plus $2 billion per year for those years, and require at least 50% of certain funds go to environmental justice communities. The bill would also create community mental wellness grants at $100 million per year for 2027–2031. Mental program grants are capped at $300,000 per year and planning grants at $100,000, with set-asides for rural and environmental justice communities.
Hazard pay for health workers
If enacted, HHS would award grants so nonprofit health facilities and home health agencies can pay eligible essential health workers up to $13 extra per hazardous hour. Each worker's extra pay would be capped at $25,000 per year. Grant funds could also pay for worker safety items like PPE or alternative transit. Funding is authorized as necessary and the program would start upon enactment.
More health worker training and jobs
If enacted, the bill would expand community health worker programs and training with $10 billion per year for 2027–2036 and a plan to add 150,000 community health workers by 2031. Jobs must pay at least the prevailing wage and training must be low-cost or free. The bill would also give $9 billion in 2027 for health professions schools to add climate-health curricula and require community engagement and reporting.
National climate-health research initiative
If enacted, HHS would create a National Climate and Health Research and Innovation Initiative to fund R&D, modeling, and sustainable health operations. The program would be authorized at $5 billion per year for fiscal years 2027–2036 and would end December 31, 2036. The President must set up an Interagency Committee within 1 year and an advisory council with federal and nonfederal members.
Hospital upgrades and closure rules
If enacted, the bill would authorize Hill-Burton climate-ready grants and planning funds to upgrade hospitals and clinics, including $100 billion for resilience projects in fiscal year 2027 and $5 billion for planning grants (planning grants capped at $500,000). Projects must follow prevailing wage and labor-protection rules and prioritize facilities serving high Medicare/Medicaid or uninsured populations. The bill would also require hospitals to notify HHS at least 90 days before stopping essential services or closing, provide detailed impact and mitigation plans, allow a 45-day public comment period, and let the Secretary block Medicare enrollment for up to 3 years for violations.
Medicare home resiliency services coverage
If enacted, Medicare would cover certain home resiliency items and services (for example, heat pumps, solar batteries, and energy-efficient cold storage) furnished on or after January 1, 2027 for people the Secretary finds "medically at risk." The Secretary would set criteria, in consultation with climate and health offices, that consider location, device reliance, chronic conditions, and disaster risk. This would reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualifying Medicare beneficiaries who need resiliency equipment.
HHS climate-health office and plan
If enacted, HHS would create an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity and publish a National Strategic Action Plan within 1 year to coordinate preparedness, decarbonization, research, and equitable investments. The bill would also set definitions for environmental justice communities and for individuals disproportionately affected by climate change. HHS could fund periodic National Academies reports and a Science Advisory Board to advise the Secretary. The bill authorizes modest office funding, including $10 million per year for 2027–2033 and one-time funds for plan and board work.
Greener medical supplies and rules
If enacted, the bill would create an interagency Council on Green Health Care Manufacturing to study medical supply chains and recommend rules and grants to support sustainable, U.S.-based production. The bill would also require a task force and regulations within one year to measure and mandate public disclosure of climate emissions and risks for drugs and devices. The disclosure work has a small FY2027 authorization ($4 million); other council actions are authorized as needed.
Community heat resilience grant program
If enacted, NOAA would set up a Community Heat Resilience Program within one year to fund heat mapping, public awareness, outreach to isolated populations, and related work. The program would be authorized at $30 million per year for fiscal years 2027–2031 and would prioritize historically disadvantaged and high-risk communities. NOAA would also contract with the National Academies for an extreme heat study, authorized at $500,000 per year for 2027–2029, with the study due within 2 years of enactment.
CMS climate sustainability office
If enacted, CMS would create an Office of Sustainability and Environmental Impact to make rules supporting climate-informed care, track health-sector emissions, and offer "Climate-Friendly" designations. The Office must report to Congress within 2 years and then every 2 years. The bill authorizes $2 million per year for 2027–2036 to run the office.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/27/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/27/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 7/27/2026
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/27/2026
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/27/2026
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 7/27/2026
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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