Bill > S2856

This bill, known as the Wildfire Smoke Relief Act, aims to provide assistance to individuals at risk of health complications from prolonged wildfire smoke exposure. The bill defines an "individual at risk of wildfire smoke related illness" as someone living in an area with unhealthy air quality for at least three consecutive days due to wildfires, and who falls into specific vulnerable categories such as low-income individuals, parents with young children, pregnant women, seniors, or those with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. The bill authorizes the President to work through qualified entities (like state governments, local public health authorities, and coordinated care organizations) to provide two main types of assistance: first, purchasing and distributing smoke-inhalation prevention equipment such as air filtration units, air filters, respirators (like N95 or P100 masks), and devices to keep smoke out of homes; and second, if prevention equipment is insufficient, providing cost-efficient transitional shelter assistance to help these vulnerable individuals avoid health risks associated with prolonged smoke exposure. The bill defines "low-income" as families with taxable income not exceeding 200 percent of the poverty level, and aims to help protect people from the potentially serious health impacts of wildfire smoke.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2856/all-info