Government Affairs Webinars
Past Webinars
Food Safety Legislation and Policy Trends Webinar
During the 2022 legislative session, policymakers made substantive changes in the manner food is prepared and sold in this country, and Congress oversaw and funded the food safety efforts at the FDA, USDA, and CDC. This webinar will review the laws passed and appropriations funded regarding food safety at both the state and federal level.
View the recorded webinar to learn more about food safety policy from members of our government affairs and food safety teams.
Environmental Justice at HHS
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 | 2 p.m. EDT
Description
One of the foremost concerns of the Biden Administration is rectifying past environmental injustices. Dr. Sharunda Buchanan, interim director for the Office of Environmental Justice, spoke on efforts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to integrate environmental justice into the HHS mission to improve health.
In this webinar, Dr. Buchanan discusses her office’s efforts to:
Speaker
Dr. Sharunda Buchanan, Interim Director, Office of Environmental Justice, HHS. Dr. Sharunda Buchanan serves as interim director of the HHS Office of Environmental Justice within the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity in OASH. Having served as senior advisor of the Environmental Justice Unit within HHS over the past few months, she brings a wealth of experience to HHS.
View Webinar
Environmental Health Policy in Federal and State Governments
Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | 2 p.m. EDT
Description
From credentialing to PFAS to food freedom, environmental health continues to interest and concern policy makers, both at federal and state levels. NEHA is tracking six bills in Congress that impact the environmental health workforce and more than 17,051 bills in the states have been introduced related to environmental health.
NEHA’s director of Government Affairs will discuss:
Speaker
Doug Farquhar, JD, Director of Government Affairs, National Environmental Health Association
Environmental Health Workforce Act
October 13, 2021
Description
NEHA’s Government Affairs hosted an exciting webinar on the Environmental Health Workforce Act. We heard from Representative Brenda Lawrence (D-Michigan), who reintroduced the bill in April 2021, and NEHA Executive Director Dr. David Dyjack as they discussed the reintroduction of the Environmental Health Workforce Act and the impact the law will have on the environmental health profession.
The Environmental Health Workforce Act (H.R. 2661) was introduced by Representative Lawrence on April 19, 2021. The act would require the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to:
Through the enactment of the Environmental Health Workforce Act, this nation can ensure that its environmental health workforce is trained, credentialed, and ready to handle the environmental threats that impact public health.
Speakers
Brenda Lawrence, Representative, D-Michigan, U.S. House of Representatives
David Dyjack, DrPH, CIH, Executive Director, National Environmental Health Association
FAQ's
Questions and Answers from the NEHA Webinar on the Environmental Health Workforce Act (PDF)
View Presentation
Government Affairs: Updates From the Field
September 16, 2021
Description
Learn about the issues and concerns regarding environmental health policy in Congress, the Administration, and states in the U.S. from NEHA Director of Government Affairs Doug Farquhar.
Speaker
Doug Farquhar, JD, Director of Government Affairs, National Environmental Health Association
View Presentation
Environmental Health Priorities at CDC, FDA, and EPA Under the Biden Administration
January 13, 2021
Description
The CDC, FDA, and EPA have ambitious agendas based on the issues that the Biden Administration wants to accomplish. From COVID-19 to Climate Change, each agency will take on many issues they seek to tackle. What will be the main priorities for each agency on environmental health? What policies can we expect? What regulations? Tune in to hear Doug Farquhar, director of NEHA’s Government Affairs, to learn about the priorities for these agencies and how they may impact the environmental health workforce. NEHA partnered with the Business Industry Affiliate to produce this webinar.
Moderator
Reem Tariq, Project Coordinator, National Environmental Health Association
Speaker
Doug Farquhar, JD, Director of Government Affairs, National Environmental Health Association
View Presentation
Environmental Health Within the New Administration and Congress
December 2, 2020
Description
The Election Season has wrapped up, and it's time for everyone to focus on the agenda for the new Administration and Congress. This webinar covered elements of what may be in store for environmental health come January. Please note that this webinar is sponsored by HealthSpace USA Inc.
Moderator
Reem Tariq, Project Coordinator, National Environmental Health Association
Speaker
Doug Farquhar, JD, Director of Government Affairs, National Environmental Health Association
View Presentation
NFS Council of Public Health Consultants
September 24, 2020
Description
The NSF Council of Public Health Consultants heard from NEHA Director of Government Affairs Doug Farquhar on state legislative summaries of environmental health legislation, including discussions on enacted legislation related to body art, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxics and chemicals, and food safety.
Moderator
Paul Olson, American Water Works Association
Speaker
Doug Farquhar, JD, Director of Government Affairs, National Environmental Health Association
View Presentation
Bridging the Gaps Between Environmental Quality and Public Health
September 16, 2020
Description
The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) hosted a webinar panel discussion on Bridging the Gaps Between Environmental Quality and Public Health. The webinar aimed to foster a deeper understanding of the connections between public health and environmental protection. The panel discussed opportunities for professionals and stakeholders in both fields to bridge the gaps and inform each other’s efforts for positive change.
Moderators
Julie Lawson, CAC Vice Chair; Director, Mayor's Office of the Clean City, Washington, DC
Surili Patel, Deputy Director for the Center for Public Health Policy, American Public Health Association
Panelists
Doug Farquhar, JD, Director of Government Affairs, National Environmental Health Association
Adrienne Hollis, Senior Climate Justice and Health Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists
Liz Perera, Climate Policy Director, Sierra Club
Sacoby Wilson, Associate Professor, University of Maryland
Nse Obott Witherspoon, Executive Director, Children's Environmental Health Network
View Webinar
Food Safety Legislation Now and Future
April 10, 2020
Description
A Chat With Doug Farquhar: In 2019, state legislatures introduced more than 750 bills related to food and food safety, with 132 enacted and 17 adopted into law. Laws in 42 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC, were enacted regarding food. New Jersey and New York had the most bills related to the topic (63 and 59, respectively), followed by Hawaii (46). At the opposite end, Alaska and Ohio did not have any bills in 2019 related to food safety.
Speaker
Doug Farquhar, JD, Director of Government Affairs, National Environmental Health Association
View Webinar
- Lead initiatives that integrate environmental justice into the HHS mission to improve health in communities across the nation
- Advise senior leadership at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) and HHS on environmental justice and health issues
- Provide leadership and subject matter expertise to develop and implement an HHS-wide strategy on environmental justice and health
- Represent OASH and HHS at agency and interagency settings
- Bills and policies being reviewed by Congress and the state legislatures
- Environmental health issues programs might soon face
- Activities in Congress related to environmental health appropriations
- Legislation that impacts environmental health
- Trends in environmental health in the state legislatures
- Develop model standards and guidelines for credentialing environmental health workers.
- Require the Secretary to develop a comprehensive and coordinated plan to develop the environmental health workforce.
- Issue a report on best practices.
- Make credentialed environmental health workers eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.