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Rep.Thanedar introduces environmental health workforce bill
The bill would direct HHS to develop a national workforce strategy and support environmental public health professionals.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 07, Aug 2026
- 14:30 EDT
- 57
Congressman Shri Thanedar / Wikimedia commons
Congressman Shri Thanedar introduced the Environmental Health Workforce Act, a bill aimed at expanding and strengthening the nation's environmental public health workforce.
The legislation would establish national model credentials for environmental public health workers, require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a strategy to address workforce shortages, and expand eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
Also read: Shri Thanedar concedes MI-13 primary race
The measure builds on legislation Thanedar first introduced in the previous Congress and comes as public health agencies continue to report staffing shortages in environmental health.
According to findings cited in earlier versions of the bill, more than 50,600 state and local environmental health positions–about 22 percent of the workforce–have been lost since 2008.
"In the face of an increasing number of environmental disasters created by climate change, our environmental health workers will be on the frontline of addressing these public health crises," Thanedar said in a statement.
"That's why I'm proud to introduce legislation that would better support their operations and ease the pathway into this career field, so that I can ensure that these organizations are properly trained and staffed when addressing these critical emergencies," he added.
The legislation comes two weeks after Detroit was reported to have the worst air quality in the world, according to IQAir, a development Thanedar's office cited as underscoring the need for a stronger environmental health workforce.
If enacted, the bill would establish national model credentials for environmental public health professionals, direct HHS to develop a comprehensive workforce strategy to address workforce shortages, and make eligible professionals eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
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