Joe Biden Takes on Heat Waves, Proposes Protections for 36 Million Workers
With summer already here, heat waves are expected. President Joe Biden is proposing new laws to protect millions of workers from extreme temperatures as climate change makes the planet grow hotter and hotter.
Tens of millions of Americans are under heat advisories, with high temperatures already being the country's leading weather-related killer. In these measures, President Biden proposes that to protect workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job, the first major federal safety standard of its kind must be established.
As the Associated Press noted, the workers most affected by extreme temperatures are farmworkers, delivery and construction workers, landscapers, and indoor workers in warehouses, factories, and kitchens.
These latest steps are being made to address extreme weather, as Hurricane Beryl is already breaking records in extreme weather and causing much damage to several Caribbean countries and potentially threatening parts of the southern United States.
The president added that this was just one of five steps that his c administration is taking to address extreme weather. He also blasted Republican lawmakers who deny the existence of climate change, saying, "It's not only outrageous, it's really stupid."
The president also noted the human and financial costs of climate change, pointing out that weather-inflicted damage last year cost the economy $90 billion.
"More people die from extreme heat than floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined," said the president. "These climate-fueled extreme weather events don't just affect people's lives. They also cost money. They hurt the economy, and they have a significant negative psychological effect on people."
Biden also announced that FEMA is releasing $1 billion in grants to help communities deal with natural disasters. At the same time, the EPA is also s releasing a new report on climate change's impacts, with the White House itself revealing plans to hold a conference titled "White House Summit on Extreme Heat" in the next few months.
READ MORE: Midwest Flooding Causes Bridge Connecting Iowa to South Dakota to Collapse, Evacuations Triggered
Brutal Heat Waves and Wild Fires Expected This Summer
In this week alone, the western US is expected to suffer sweltering conditions that would coincide with Fourth of July celebrations. These might cause power to shut down in some areas, as well as a a severe uptick in wildfire risks.
Almost 90 million people were under heat alerts from the National Weather Service on Tuesday, according to The Guardian, with parts of California being predicted to suffer from "extreme" levels of heat risk that will last until Sunday or longer.
Joe Biden Slams Supreme Court Decision on Presidential Immunity
As for President Biden, he recently blasted the Supreme Court after it decided that presidents are absolutely immune as long as the crimes are committed as official acts.
"Now the American people will have to do what the court should have been willing to do and would not: Americans will have to render a judgment about Donald Trump's behavior," he said.
READ MORE: Trump Supporters Get Poked Fun At, Get Their Flawed Logic Exposed by Daily Show's Jordan Klepper
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Pres. Biden proposes guidelines for working in excessive heat; Texas likely to oppose - FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth
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