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S. 606 117th Congress Senate

RESPOND Act of 2021

Official title: A bill to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue an annual report to Congress project… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue an annual report to Congress projecting and accounting for the economic costs directly and indirectly caused by the impacts of climate change, to require the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to establish a Federal Advisory Panel on the Economics of Climate Change, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 4, 2021 Introduced by: Jeff Merkley Democratic · Oregon See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Advisory bodiesAir qualityAlternative and renewable resourcesAtmospheric science and weather
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Climate change and greenhouse gasesCoalCongressional oversightDisaster relief and insuranceEconomic performance and conditionsEmployee benefits and pensionsEnvironmental healthFinancial services and investmentsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment trust fundsLabor marketNatural disastersOil and gasSecurities
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 4, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Mar 4, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action March 4, 2021

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Restructuring Environmentally Sound Pensions in Order to Negate Disaster Act of 2021 or the RESPOND Act of 2021

This bill addresses issues related to the impact of climate change on the economy, including federal retirement plans.

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board must establish an advisory panel on the economics of climate change to advise on how the board may invest in clean and renewable energy and make investments in a manner that helps ensure net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by 2050. The board must then assess whether implementing low-carbon investment strategies is profitable and consistent with its duties.

If the board cannot implement such strategies, the bill establishes the Climate Choice Stock Index Fund as part of the Federal Employees Retirement System's Thrift Savings Plan. This fund is established as an investment portfolio that performs similarly to other plan index funds, but does not invest in fossil fuels.

Finally, the Federal Reserve Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission must annually report on the economic costs of climate change.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 1618 Identical bill RESPOND Act of 2021
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 606: RESPOND Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-606/
MLA
"S. 606: RESPOND Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-606/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 606, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-606/.
Markdown link
[S. 606: RESPOND Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-606/)
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