HR-5986 : Still Just a Bill

Environmental Justice For All Act

This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities.

Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination.

In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. For example, agencies must prepare community impact reports that assess the potential impacts of their actions on environmental justice communities under certain circumstances.

Further, it creates a variety of advisory bodies and positions, such as the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice Compliance and Enforcement. Among other things, the group must issue an environmental justice strategy.

It also establishes requirements and programs concerning chemicals or toxic ingredients in certain products. For example, the bill (1) requires certain products (e.g., cosmetics) to include a list of ingredients or warnings; and (2) provides grants for research on designing safer alternatives to chemicals in certain consumer, cleaning, toy, or baby products that have an inherent toxicity or that are associated with chronic adverse health effects.

Finally, it creates a variety of funding programs, such as a grant program to enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban areas.

Action Timeline

Action DateTypeTextSource
2020-10-01CommitteeCommittee Hearings Held.House committee actions
2020-03-10CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.House committee actions
2020-02-27IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-02-27IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-02-27IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-02-27IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-02-27IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-02-27IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2020-02-27IntroReferralIntroduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Sponsor :

Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-3]
See Cosponsors

Policy Area :

Environmental Protection
See Subjects
  • Administrative law and regulatory procedures
  • Administrative remedies
  • Advisory bodies
  • Air quality
  • Buy American requirements
  • Child health
  • Civil actions and liability
  • Climate change and greenhouse gases
  • Community life and organization
  • Congressional oversight
  • Cosmetics and personal care
  • Department of Transportation
  • Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
  • Due process and equal protection
  • Ecology
  • Economic development
  • Electric power generation and transmission
  • Employee benefits and pensions
  • Employment and training programs
  • Energy revenues and royalties
  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
  • Environmental education
  • Environmental health
  • Environmental regulatory procedures
  • Evidence and witnesses
  • Executive Office of the President
  • Executive agency funding and structure
  • Federal officials
  • Federal-Indian relations
  • Food supply, safety, and labeling
  • Foreign language and bilingual programs
  • Geography and mapping
  • Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
  • Government information and archives
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Government trust funds
  • Gulf of Mexico
  • Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
  • Health programs administration and funding
  • Health promotion and preventive care
  • Health technology, devices, supplies
  • Higher education
  • Historical and cultural resources
  • Housing and community development funding
  • Indian lands and resources rights
  • Indian social and development programs
  • Infrastructure development
  • Intergovernmental relations
  • Land transfers
  • Land use and conservation
  • Legal fees and court costs
  • Licensing and registrations
  • Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
  • Marketing and advertising
  • Medical research
  • Mining
  • Minority health
  • Monuments and memorials
  • Oil and gas
  • Outdoor recreation
  • Parks, recreation areas, trails
  • Performance measurement
  • Poverty and welfare assistance
  • Product safety and quality
  • Public participation and lobbying
  • Public transit
  • Public-private cooperation
  • Racial and ethnic relations
  • Regional and metropolitan planning
  • Research administration and funding
  • Rural conditions and development
  • Sex and reproductive health
  • Soil pollution
  • Solid waste and recycling
  • State and local government operations
  • Transportation programs funding
  • Urban and suburban affairs and development
  • User charges and fees
  • Water quality
  • Water use and supply
  • Women's health
  • Youth employment and child labor