A recent NBC Nightly News segment illustrated how Phoenix residents, particularly vulnerable seniors, are coping with unprecedented heat waves that brought 113 consecutive days of 100-degree temperatures to the region. The piece, aired as early voting began in Arizona, noted that the climate crisis is weighing “on voters' minds.”

The segment, part of NBC's “What Matters” series, spotlighted the life-saving work of the Foundation for Senior Living. Through their weatherization program, low-income seniors can receive critical home cooling upgrades that would normally cost up to $25,000.

These types of weatherization programs are getting a major boost through federal legislation. Per the Arizona Department of Housing, the Weatherization Assistance Program referenced in the NBC segment received funding from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Department of Energy is also distributing $8.8 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for home energy improvements — including weatherization, electrification, and efficiency upgrades. In Arizona, where one out of every 10 residents is cost-burdened by energy expenses, a new state program launched in August and funded through the IRA aims to help eligible residents cover up to 100% of costs for energy-efficient cooling systems, with funding expected to reach more than 23,000 households.

With Phoenix’s surrounding Maricopa County reporting 645 heat-related deaths in 2023, a 52% increase over the previous year, the connection between climate policy and survival is stark. NBC's segment illustrated the human impact of global warming, while federal investments via the Inflation Reduction Act demonstrate how policy solutions are beginning to reach vulnerable communities most urgently in need.

Meanwhile, the Project 2025 transition plan — organized by right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation and a coalition of over 100 conservative partner organizations — proposes eliminating federal weatherization assistance and repealing climate legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act, programs that could save lives in the midst of an escalating climate crisis.

Clarification (10/28/24): This story was updated to note the source of funding for the Arizona Weatherization Assistance Program.