Expressing support for honoring Earth Day, and for other purposes.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1166 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1166

   Expressing support for honoring Earth Day, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 20, 2024

  Ms. Matsui (for herself, Mr. Neguse, Ms. McClellan, Mr. Cohen, Ms. 
 Barragan, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Casten, Ms. 
 Chu, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. 
   DeGette, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. 
   Espaillat, Mrs. Foushee, Mr. Gomez, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Huffman, Ms. 
Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, 
   Mr. Lieu, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Morelle, Ms. Omar, Mr. 
 Panetta, Mr. Payne, Mr. Peters, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Porter, Mr. Quigley, 
 Mr. Sablan, Ms. Salinas, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Schiff, Mr. 
   Schneider, Ms. Stansbury, Ms. Stevens, Ms. Titus, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. 
  Tokuda, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Williams of Georgia, and Ms. 
   Wilson of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
   the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for honoring Earth Day, and for other purposes.

Whereas Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970;
Whereas the late Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day, called on the 
        people of the United States to hold elected officials accountable for 
        failing to adequately protect the health of people and the natural 
        environment;
Whereas after witnessing years of environmental neglect, millions of Americans 
        of all ages, walks of life, and political affiliations gathered in 
        cities across the Nation on the first Earth Day to demand basic 
        protections for our planet and to commit to leaving behind a healthier 
        world for the next generation;
Whereas Earth Day united people who had been fighting against oil spills, 
        polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage and toxic dumps, the 
        loss of wildlife, and other environmental ills;
Whereas that work continues today;
Whereas Earth Day is an annual event created to promote environmental 
        citizenship and action year-round;
Whereas the first celebration of Earth Day was the largest environmental 
        grassroots event ever held at that time and is widely credited with 
        launching the modern environmental movement;
Whereas the voices of inaugural Earth Day participants galvanized an 
        unparalleled period of legislative and grassroots activity that changed 
        the way we interact with the environment, leading to the creation of the 
        Environmental Protection Agency and passage of legislation such as the 
        Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the Clean Air Act, and the 
        Endangered Species Act of 1973;
Whereas, by 1990, Earth Day was celebrated globally, with 200,000,000 people in 
        141 countries participating in Earth Day events;
Whereas Earth Day encourages environmental activism and stewardship around the 
        world, and reminds people to find ways to protect the environment, 
        including managing their own environmental impact;
Whereas Earth Day serves as an opportunity to learn from and build community 
        with indigenous communities, who have stewarded the land for generations 
        and have great wisdom on preserving biodiversity;
Whereas on Earth Day people engage in projects, initiatives, and campaigns to 
        protect and restore the planet including planting trees, removing 
        litter, cleaning up coral reefs, conserving water and energy, and other 
        environmentally responsible actions;
Whereas in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Global Earth 
        Challenge was launched in 2020, a global citizen science initiative to 
        demonstrate how small acts of science can add up to global change;
Whereas new and continuing challenges, including climate change, pollution, and 
        loss of forest, wetlands, and other wildlife habitats, reinforce the 
        need for adequate protections for the air we breathe, the water we 
        drink, the land we inhabit, and the animals we live alongside;
Whereas there is scientific consensus that climate change poses a dire threat to 
        our planet and its inhabitants, and that urgent and unprecedented 
        changes are needed to mitigate its worst effects;
Whereas Earth Day reaffirms our national responsibility in the global effort to 
        combat climate change and protect our planet for all;
Whereas, in 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 
        which made foundational investments in clean drinking water, clean 
        transportation, clean energy, resilient infrastructure, and pollution 
        cleanup;
Whereas, in 2022, Congress passed what is commonly referred to as the Inflation 
        Reduction Act of 2022, the largest climate bill in American history and 
        a transformative investment in our future, that includes unprecedented 
        funding for clean energy, zero-emission vehicles, sustainable aviation, 
        energy efficiency, climate-smart agriculture and forestry, and 
        decarbonizing heavy industry, all while supporting and funding climate 
        change mitigation and adaptation initiatives in those historically 
        disadvantaged communities that are most vulnerable to the effects of 
        climate change;
Whereas these recent legislative actions have demonstrated the capacity for 
        climate investments to strengthen American industry, support resilient 
        supply chains, build critical infrastructure, and generate economic 
        opportunity;
Whereas repealing these landmark laws or undermining their implementation would 
        have catastrophic consequences for America and the world as we face the 
        increasing impacts of climate change;
Whereas these laws represent a historic step forward, and we still have more 
        work to do to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions to safe 
        levels;
Whereas Earth Day encourages us to acknowledge the prevalence of environmental 
        injustices that directly affect the health and well-being of individuals 
        and communities across the country, and affirms our commitment to 
        ameliorating existing environmental injustices, and to preventing future 
        injustices;
Whereas Earth Day reminds us of the need to expand environmental and climate 
        literacy not only to strengthen environmental and climate protections 
        but also to accelerate development of green technologies and creation of 
        green jobs that will benefit all;
Whereas the mission and purpose of Earth Day remains relevant today because 
        pollution, environmental degradation, and the climate crisis are 
        transgenerational justice issues; and
Whereas Earth Day reminds us that we must not pass a world beyond repair to our 
        children: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the President to issue a proclamation recognizing 
        Earth Day;
            (2) encourages the American people to mark Earth Day by 
        working--
                    (A) to address environmental challenges large and 
                small, from climate change to litter;
                    (B) to uplift indigenous environmental knowledge 
                and stewardship practices;
                    (C) to educate their friends, neighbors, and 
                elected representatives about the need for year-round 
                action; and
                    (D) to otherwise honor the stewardship ethic for 
                which Senator Gaylord Nelson stood;
            (3) urges governments and peoples around the world to 
        continue building upon the Paris Agreement and other efforts to 
        ensure that future generations inherit a livable, sustainable, 
        and ecologically rich planet Earth; and
            (4) reaffirms that immediate action is needed to reduce 
        greenhouse gas emissions and ameliorate environmental 
        injustices in order to protect the Earth, the public health, 
        and the overall well-being of all people and wildlife.
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