FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20th, 2021
CONTACT
Jessica Mengistab
Program Manager, Climate & Clean Energy Advocacy, ANHE
jessica@envirn.org
(732) 336-1606
Nurses Call for Swift Action on Climate in the New Year
[Washington, D.C.] (December 20,2021) – In response to the decision to delay the Senate vote on the Build Back Better Act, the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments’ (ANHE) Executive Director, Katie Huffling, DNP, RN, CNM, FAAN released the following statement:
“Nurses are disappointed to hear of the delay on a Senate vote for the Build Back Better Act (BBBA). But disappointment does not mean we are discouraged. The Build Back Better Act would provide historic investments in climate action and public health which is why it is imperative that this once in a lifetime act is passed as soon as possible. Our country needs cleaner air, clean drinking water, and climate justice for historically marginalized communities. The evidence of health threats brought on by climate change are already right in front of us. Increases in vector-borne diseases, longer allergy seasons resulting in worsening lung function, lives lost in more frequent catastrophic weather events and subsequent mental health impacts associated with all of these.
“Americans have voiced that they are ready to act on climate and make both the environmental and public health of our country a top priority. We can get to work improving our country’s health while also creating good paying jobs and saving Americans money on energy bills by passing the Build Back Better Act. There is no time to waste in securing a healthier future for Americans and our natural lands. The Senate should put this bill – and the wildly popular climate and clean energy provisions – to a vote early in 2022.”
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The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments is the only national nursing organization focused solely on the intersection of health and the environment. The mission of the Alliance is to promote healthy people and healthy environments by educating and leading the nursing profession, advancing research, incorporating evidence-based practice, and influencing policy.
