article: SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. The Congress finds that-- (1) an individual's ability to survive periods of severe heat is based, in part on income, age, and health risks; (2) such a connection is well established and is proven by recent tragic deaths in and around the City of Chicago and Cook County, Illinois; and (3) reports published by the Centers for Disease Control indicate that the absence of air conditioning is a major factor contributing to illness and death during periods of extreme heat, especially among the elderly. SEC. 2. DECLARATION AND NOTIFICATION OF A HEAT EMERGENCY. Title 15, United States Code, is amended by adding the following new section: ``Sec. 330. (a) The Director of the National Weather Service shall notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services whenever any State, county, municipality, or other jurisdiction is subject to a heat emergency which threatens the health of its residents. ``(b) Such notification shall be delivered to the Secretary within one hour of the declaration being determined.''. SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF A POOL OF EMERGENCY FUNDS; EMERGENCY EXPANSION OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY. (a) Establishment of an ``Emergency Cooling Fund''.-- (1) Section 8621 of title 42, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``(e) There is authorized a pool of monies that shall be added to the appropriations, referred to in this section; such funds shall be designated for the expressed purpose of providing assistance to low income recipients and seniors for the duration of a declared heat emergency.''. (2) Prior to authorization of the Fund referred to in (a) of this section, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall research and report to Congress on the amount of funds needed to fully compensate public utilities for the delivery of energy necessary to sufficiently cool the residencies of a LIHEAP recipient in a manner that will alleviate the likelihood of heat-related illness and prevent the worsening of preexisting acute conditions. (3) The Secretary shall take into account the following when determining the amount of money necessary to fund the ``Emergency Cooling Fund''-- (A) the number of current LIHEAP recipients; (B) the amount of energy needed to cool the homes of LIHEAP recipients; and (C) the number of days in the previous calendar year in which the National Weather Service declared a heat emergency in areas served by LIHEAP. (4) The pool of monies established by Congress shall be no smaller than an amount equal to three times the amount referred to in the Secretary's report as being necessary to operate such a fund. (b) Eligibility of Seniors for Heat Related Assistance.--Section 8642(b)(2) of title 42, United States Code, is amended by adding the following: ``or (C) households with senior residents who, because of age and/or medical condition, may be susceptible to heat related illness.''. SEC. 4. USE OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE FUNDS DURING HEAT EMERGENCY. (a) Immediately upon receiving a notification of a heat emergency declaration referred to in section 2 of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall direct the Governor of each State in which the emergency was declared that a portion funds referred to in section 8622 of title 42, United States Code, commonly known as ``LIHEAP'', as augmented by the funds referred to in section 3 of this Act, shall be designated by the State for the express use of providing energy to cool the residencies of current LIHEAP recipients, augmented by section 3 of this Act, during heat emergencies. (b) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, within five days of the passage of this Act, inform the Governors of the States that compliance with this Act is mandated. (c) Within ten days of the passage of this Act, the Governors of each State shall submit to the Secretary notification that provisions have been made, in conjunction with public utilities responsible for the delivery of electricity in the State, to provide for compensation to eligible LIHEAP recipients under this Act and such provisions shall-- (1) provide for compensation to all LIHEAP recipients to cover the full and total amount necessary to operate not less than one appliance to cool the recipient's residence; and (2) such compensation shall be in effect during the period in which a heat emergency is in effect in the state, and for the twenty-four hour period immediately following and immediately proceeding the declaration of the heat emergency. (d) No funds referred to in this Act shall be available to any State not submitting such notification to the Secretary within the allotted time. (e) Enhancement of Federal Oversight of Compliance by the States.-- Section 8624(b) of title 42, United States Code, is amended by striking the following language: ``The Secretary may not prescribe the manner in which the States will comply with the provisions of the subsection.'' SEC. 5. EXPEDITED DISTRIBUTION OF AIR CONDITIONING UNITS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT. (a) The Administrator of the General Services Administration shall receive notification of any declaration of a heat emergency as referenced in section 2 of this Act. (b) Such notification shall cause the Administrator to initiate procedures to locate any equipment, fixtures, and appliances-- including, but not limited to, air conditioners and fans--that are currently available through the Federal Supply Service or any other entity overseeing surplus Federal property. (c) The Administrator shall initiate expedited procedures to distribute such property to representatives of States and municipalities affected by the heat emergency, and to social service agencies and individuals located in those areas.
summary: Amends Federal law to require the Director of the National Weather Service to notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services of a heat emergency. Establishes an Emergency Cooling Fund to provide assistance to low-income families and senior citizens during a declared heat emergency. Makes senior citizens eligible for heat related assistance. Provides for the use of energy assistance funds during a heat emergency. Directs that the Administrator of the General Services Administration shall: (1) be notified of any declared heat emergency; and (2) expedite distribution of air conditioning units and other cooling equipment to affected localities.