A resolution recognizing that mercury pollution can cause severe health problems, including permanent brain damage, kidney damage, and birth defects.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 560 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 560

 Recognizing that mercury pollution can cause severe health problems, 
  including permanent brain damage, kidney damage, and birth defects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 17, 2025

 Mr. Whitehouse (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
   Van Hollen, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Welch, and Ms. Blunt 
 Rochester) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
             the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing that mercury pollution can cause severe health problems, 
  including permanent brain damage, kidney damage, and birth defects.

Whereas mercury is a powerful neurotoxin;
Whereas mercury occurs naturally in coal, petroleum, and natural gas, and 
        burning those fossil fuels releases mercury into the atmosphere;
Whereas mercury emitted into the atmosphere enters the ground, water, and food 
        system;
Whereas consuming fish from mercury-contaminated waterbodies is the most common 
        way people are exposed to dangerous levels of mercury;
Whereas all 50 States maintain web pages to issue fish advisories for mercury-
        contaminated waterbodies and the Department of Public Health and 
        Environment of the State of Colorado reports that, as of 2025, there 
        were more than 3,700 mercury advisories in effect across the United 
        States;
Whereas fossil fuel-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury 
        emissions in the United States;
Whereas an estimated 80,000,000 individuals in the United States live within 3 
        miles of a fossil fuel-fired power plant, approximately 17,000,000 of 
        whom are children;
Whereas exposure to mercury can cause severe health problems, including 
        permanent brain damage, kidney damage, birth defects, and heart disease;
Whereas gestational mercury exposure is particularly dangerous and babies born 
        after mercury exposure in the womb can exhibit severe intellectual 
        impairment, as well as ataxia and cerebral palsy, seizures, vision and 
        hearing loss, delayed developmental milestones, language disorders, and 
        problems with motor function, visual spatial abilities, and memory; and
Whereas there is no known safe level of exposure to mercury: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the Senate recognizes that mercury pollution can cause 
        severe health problems, including permanent brain damage, 
        kidney damage, and birth defects; and
            (2) it is the sense of the Senate that the Environmental 
        Protection Agency should not loosen controls on mercury 
        pollution from power plants.
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