119-hconres46

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 46 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. CON. RES. 46

Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States is committed to 
ensuring a safe and healthy climate for future generations, and thus to 
 restoring the climate.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 23, 2025

Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Morelle, and 
Mr. Thanedar) submitted the following concurrent 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

_______________________________________________________________________

 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States is committed to 
ensuring a safe and healthy climate for future generations, and thus to 
 restoring the climate.

Whereas humanity has an obligation to future generations to restore and maintain 
 a safe climate that ensures our long-term survival;
Whereas, prior to the industrial revolution, humans have never lived with a 
 sustained atmospheric carbon dioxide

    (CO2) concentration above 300 parts 
 per million

    (ppm) ;
Whereas today's atmospheric CO2 concentration is approximately 420 ppm, 50 
 percent higher than in preindustrial times, resulting in destructive 
 impacts on climate, agriculture, the environment, human health, and 
 economies around the world;
Whereas the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change set its 
 climate goal to stabilize greenhouse gas

    (GHG) levels in 1992, when the 
 atmospheric CO2 concentration was 350 ppm, which is the maximum level 
 theorized to sustain the ecosystems to which humans have adapted;
Whereas, in this resolution, ``climate restoration'' refers to--

    (1) the goal of restoring the atmospheric CO2 concentration to that 
which humans have survived long-term, (below 300 ppm); and

    (2) actions required to achieve that concentration;

Whereas climate restoration is a crucial complement to rapid and deep emissions 
 reductions;
Whereas climate restoration by 2050, will require removing approximately 
 1,000,000,000,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, or net 50,000,000,000 
 tons per year for 20 years;
Whereas, approximately 1,000,000,000,000 tons of CO2 were removed from the 
 atmosphere by natural processes 10 times in the last 1,000,000 years, 
 and naturally occurring mechanisms are capable of removing geologically 
 significant amounts of atmospheric CO2, including carbon sequestration 
 by the ocean carbon biological pump;
Whereas scientists and technologists have developed and demonstrated CO2 
 sequestration methods that replicate and leverage these natural 
 processes in ways that significantly reduce atmospheric CO2 
 concentrations;
Whereas Congress should encourage investigation and investment in CO2 removal 
 methods and technologies that leverage existing natural processes, as 
 well as other technologies;
Whereas, in addition to CO2 removal, restoring the Earth's energy balance relies 
 on reducing feedback loops that negatively affect surface albedo, global 
 ocean and atmospheric circulation patterns, and cloud cover;
Whereas removing methane and other short-lived climate pollutants from the 
 atmosphere between now and 2030 is essential as a bridge to achieving 
 longer term climate restoration;
Whereas climate restoration will benefit the people of the United States by 
 reducing loss and damage from heat waves, floods, storms, droughts, 
 wildfires, and other disasters exacerbated by climate change, while 
 producing positive effects on human and ecosystem health, along with 
 benefiting the economy as a whole;
Whereas climate restoration is a precondition for intergenerational climate 
 justice, as young people will suffer the worst effects of climate 
 breakdown;
Whereas the urgent action needed to restore a safe climate is consistent with H. 
 Res. 975, introduced in 2022, and H. Res. 259, introduced in 2023, which 
 are resolutions that recognize the mental health impacts of recurrent 
 climate-related disasters on youth, a group especially vulnerable to the 
 physical and mental health impacts of climate-related disasters, and the 
 far greater suffering young people and future generations will endure if 
 the climate continues to worsen; and
Whereas, on July 3, 2023, the California Senate passed SR-34, becoming the first 
 State to pass a resolution formally recognizing an obligation to future 
 generations to restore the atmospheric CO2 concentration to a safe 
 level, below 300 ppm, and calling for action by the Federal Government, 
 in the form of an international climate treaty, to restore and stabilize 
 greenhouse gas concentrations as a common climate goal: Now, therefore, 
 be it
 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--

    (1) formally recognizes its obligation to future 
 generations to restore a safe climate;

    (2) declares that climate restoration, along with achieving 
 net-zero CO2 emissions, are climate policy priorities; and

    (3) calls on the President, Secretary of State, and United 
 States Ambassador to the United Nations to take actions that 
 will restore the climate and stabilize greenhouse gas 
 concentrations at preindustrial levels.
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