PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 22, 2021
This bill generally addresses the adverse effects of climate change with a particular focus on immigration.
Specifically, the bill establishes an immigration pathway to admit climate-displaced persons into the United States. These are individuals (1) who need durable resettlement because of an environmental change that adversely affects their living conditions, and (2) whose government cannot or will not provide a resettlement solution. Persons admitted to the United States under this pathway are entitled to the same resettlement assistance and benefits available to refugees.
Additionally, the bill authorizes the President to provide foreign assistance for promoting resilience and reducing vulnerability among communities facing adverse effects of climate change. It also creates the position of Coordinator of Climate Change Resiliency in the Department of State.
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Moreover, the State Department must implement, and periodically report on, a strategy to mitigate the impact of climate change on displacement and humanitarian emergencies. The State Department must also provide (1) training on climate displacement to foreign service officers assigned to countries from which climate-displaced persons originated, and (2) guidance on the humanitarian impacts associated with climate change to all U.S. diplomatic missions.
The bill also requires the President to report on displacement caused by climate change.
People & committees
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · D–MA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Jan 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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