To facilitate the U.S. Department of State (DoS) in performing its diplomatic missions and its responsibilities to protect U.S. government employees and their family members overseas, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will form a Standing Committee on Medical and Epidemiological Aspects of Air Pollution on U.S. Government Employees and their Families (MEAAP) to discuss with DoS best practices including health monitoring, medical intervention, risk assessment and communication, and exposure mitigation for overseas locations at which ambient pollution levels substantially exceed levels in the U.S. The standing committee will explore current DoS air pollution mitigation practices and policies, as well as long-term efforts to understand and mitigate the effects of air pollution on U.S. government employees and their families overseas. MEAAP will also keep DoS abreast of emerging concerns, interventions, and protective measures related to air pollution exposure.
The standing committee will provide a forum for discussion of scientific, technical, and social issues relevant to effective health management and protection of U.S. government employees and their family members assigned to overseas locations with severe air pollution. The standing committee will consider relevant scientific, technical, and policy issues including but not limited to:

• air pollution management frameworks and protocols for overseas posts
• health maintenance and care policies related to air pollution, including management of chronic health conditions and optimizing cardiopulmonary medicine healthcare as knowledge evolves;
• characterization of air pollution exposures, including formulation and implementation of epidemiological assessments;
• air pollution risk assessments, including risks from exposures to a variety of air pollutants at various magnitudes and durations;
• approaches and materials for risk communication;
• exposure mitigation practices and emerging protective measures;
• and other relevant issues.

The standing committee may propose formation of committees for workshops and/or studies as needed that may be pursued as approved by DoS and the National Academies. The standing committee itself will not produce or be used in the development of any reports or provide any written advice or recommendations.
The standing committee will convene one time per year in contract year one, then at a minimum, one time per year thereafter (as a beginning, but may be increased as needed) to become informed of existing conditions and emerging issues related to extreme air pollution and associated health risks and to define prospective activities that may be pursued and approved as separate efforts (such as consensus studies or analyses). Additionally, the committee members will stand ready to consult informally on short notice to requests and other needs from DoS.
The standing committee should:

• Provide a venue to enable discussions relevant to DoS on emerging issues, research, and activities through in-depth knowledge of the sponsor's programs, goals, and activities;
• Serve as a focal point for DoS policy discussions by experts and other leaders in the field; and
• Respond to DoS’s needs for continuing dialogue related to their strategic thinking, health and medical care management and tracking.

The standing committee activities may also include:

• Providing real time subject matter expert feedback on DoS's air pollution management frameworks, response plans for extreme air pollution events, health impact assessments, and other information the DoS Medical Bureau will publish for Department guidance;
• Meeting periodically with the sponsor and others in information-gathering sessions;
• Inviting experts/guests to provide input on the issues that will serve to inform the sponsor in its strategic planning and program development roles; and
• Conducting public outreach, such as through the development of websites and newsletters that provide general information about the standing committee’s activities or other related initiatives of the National Academies.

*NOTE: The statement of task was revised on 2/23/2022.