"Extreme weather events don't just affect people's lives, they also cost money," he said. "They hurt the economy, and they have a significant negative psychological effect on people.

"Last year, the largest weather related disasters cost over—get this—$90 billion in damages in America."

Calling attention to the "nearly 2.5 million people" displaced in 2023 due to weather-related disasters, the president emphasized the threat extreme weather poses to transportation systems, power grids, farms, fisheries, and forests.

Extreme Heat

President Biden said the Department of Labor is proposing a new rule that, once finalized, will "establish the nation's first-ever federal safety standard for excessive heat in the workplace."

He said it would reduce heat injuries, illnesses, and deaths for more than 36 million in the workforce, including workers in the construction, postal, and manufacturing sectors.

The proposed rule would require employers to identify heat hazards, develop emergency response plans related to conditions affecting the head, and provide training to employees and supervisors on the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses. Employers would also be required to create rest breaks, provide shade and water, and allow new workers to acclimatize themselves to the heat.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), "serious occupational heat-related illnesses and injuries become more frequent, especially in workplaces where unacclimatized workers are performing strenuous work" when the heat index is as low as 80°F. According to the NWS heat index calculator, that heat index could be when the air temperature is as low as 78.6°F with 60 percent relative humidity.