HR2339-119

What This Bill Does

The Children's Health Protection Act turns existing EPA child-health structures into statutory requirements. EPA must maintain an Office of Children's Health Protection led by a Director appointed by the Administrator with advisory-committee input. The Director must identify environmental health and safety risks that disproportionately affect infants, children, and adolescents; coordinate research and grants; advise EPA and other agencies; co-chair the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children; support pediatric environmental health specialty units; develop school environmental health resources; and communicate contaminant trends. EPA must also maintain a permanent Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee, and the bill authorizes $7.842 million for the Office in fiscal year 2026 and later years plus $13.2 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the Act.

Who Benefits and How

Children exposed to environmental health risks benefit because EPA must keep an office focused on prenatal and childhood vulnerabilities. Pediatric environmental health specialty units benefit from statutory support for provider literacy and environmental health expertise. Local educational agencies benefit because EPA must develop resources for school environmental health programs. Children's health advocates benefit from a permanent advisory committee and a statutory EPA office to receive recommendations.

Who Bears the Burden and How

EPA children's health office staff must carry out risk assessment, interagency coordination, rulemaking involvement, guidance, research, and community-program duties. EPA Administrator staff must appoint the office Director, maintain the advisory committee, and align current structures with the statutory requirements. Federal appropriators must account for the $7.842 million office authorization and the $13.2 million annual authorization through fiscal year 2030. Federal agencies receiving EPA advice may need to adjust policies, standards, or programs for child-specific environmental risks.

Key Provisions

• Requires EPA to maintain an Office of Children's Health Protection headed by a Director who reports to the Administrator.
• Assigns the Office duties covering child-specific environmental risk assessment, interagency coordination, grants, rulemaking, chemicals guidance, and school resources.
• Requires EPA to maintain a permanent Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee subject to federal advisory-committee rules.
• Authorizes $7.842 million for the Office for fiscal year 2026 and each later fiscal year.
• Authorizes $13.2 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the Act.