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

IV 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 346 Expressing support for honoring Earth Day, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 22, 2021 Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. NADLER, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. AUCHINCLOSS, Mrs. AXNE, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. BROWN, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. CASE, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Ms. CHU, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. COOPER, Mr. COSTA, Mr. CROW, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. ESCOBAR, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. GOMEZ, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. KAHELE, Ms. KAP- TUR, Mr. KEATING, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. KILMER, Mr. LIEU, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCNERNEY, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MORELLE, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. NEGUSE, Ms. NORTON, Ms. OMAR, Mr. PANETTA, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. POCAN, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. RASKIN, Miss RICE of New York, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. SIRES, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. TONKO, Mr. TRONE, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. WELCH, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. DEAN, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. LEVIN of California, and Mr. COHEN) 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 jurisdic- tion of the committee concerned VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:41 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\HR346.IH HR346 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 346 IH 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, mil- lions 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 plan- et 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 environ- mental movement; Whereas the voices of inaugural Earth Day participants gal- vanized an unparalleled period of legislative and grass- roots activity that changed the way we interact with the environment, leading to the creation of the Environ- mental Protection Agency and passage of legislation such VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:41 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR346.IH HR346 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 346 IH as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the En- dangered Species Act; 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 includ- ing planting trees, removing litter, cleaning up coral reefs, conserving water and energy, and other environ- mentally responsible actions; Whereas in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Earth Challenge 2020 was launched, 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 protec- tions 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; VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:41 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR346.IH HR346 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 346 IH Whereas Earth Day reaffirms our national responsibility in the global effort to combat climate change and protect our planet for all; Whereas Earth Day encourages us to acknowledge the preva- lence of environmental injustices that directly affect the health and well-being of individuals and communities across the country, and affirms our commitment to ame- liorating existing environmental injustices, and to pre- venting future injustices; Whereas Earth Day reminds us of the need to expand envi- ronmental and climate literacy not only to strengthen en- vironmental 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 rel- evant today because pollution, environmental degradation, and the climate crisis are transgenerational justice issues; Whereas throughout the COVID–19 pandemic, people have been increasingly engaged in outdoor recreation, dem- onstrating the critical role that the Earth plays in sup- porting the health and well-being of people, especially during challenging times; and Whereas Earth Day reminds us we must not pass a world be- yond repair to our children: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) urges the President to issue a proclamation 2 recognizing Earth Day; 3 (2) encourages the American people to mark 4 Earth Day by working— 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:41 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR346.IH HR346 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HRES 346 IH (A) to address environmental challenges 1 large and small, from climate change to litter; 2 (B) to educate their friends, neighbors, 3 and elected representatives about the need for 4 year-round action; and 5 (C) to otherwise honor the stewardship 6 ethic for which Senator Gaylord Nelson stood; 7 (3) urges governments and peoples around the 8 world to continue building upon the Paris Agree- 9 ment and other efforts to ensure that future genera- 10 tions inherit a livable, sustainable, and ecologically 11 rich planet Earth; and 12 (4) reaffirms that immediate action is needed to 13 reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ameliorate en- 14 vironmental injustices in order to protect our Earth, 15 the public health, and the overall well-being of all 16 people and wildlife. 17 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:41 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR346.IH HR346 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS