119-sres183

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 183 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 183

 Designating the month of April 2025 as ``Earth Month'' and expressing 
 support for environmental stewardship and climate action.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 April 28, 2025

 Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Schiff, and 
 Mr. Booker) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Designating the month of April 2025 as ``Earth Month'' and expressing 
 support for environmental stewardship and climate action.

Whereas Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, and is an annual event 
 to promote environmental citizenship and year-round environmental 
 action, and to commit citizens to leave behind a healthier world for the 
 next generation;
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 the passage of legislation, such as 
 the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly referred to as the 
 ``Clean Water Act'' (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act (42 
 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
 1531 et seq.);
Whereas the work that those inaugural Earth Day participants started continues 
 today;
Whereas climate change is happening at an accelerating rate, with global 
 temperatures rising faster than ever before, driven by human activities 
 and particularly by emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases;
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 there is substantial scientific evidence that air pollution, extreme 
 heat, disasters, and other climate induced impacts severely impact human 
 health, including by increasing the risk of cancer, respiratory and 
 cardiovascular diseases, and other illnesses and negative health 
 impacts;
Whereas the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity has called for 
 preserving 30 percent of the planet by 2030 to conserve and restore 
 biodiversity, expand access to nature, and mitigate and build resilience 
 to climate change;
Whereas all people have the right to a safe and healthy environment to live, 
 work, learn, play, and pray;
Whereas all workers have a right to a safe and healthy work environment without 
 being forced to choose between an unsafe livelihood and unemployment;
Whereas the people of the United States need to learn from and build community 
 with Indigenous communities, including Tribal Nations, who have 
 stewarded the land for generations and have great wisdom on preserving 
 biodiversity;
Whereas, to deal with the climate crisis and to preserve 30 percent of the 
 planet by 2030, the world needs more than 1 day of environmental 
 awareness, activism, and stewardship, and everyone needs to remind 
 people to find ways to protect the environment;
Whereas communities of color and low socio-economic status bear the 
 disproportionate burden of the climate crisis and environmental 
 pollution;
Whereas Earth Month provides an opportunity for people to participate in healthy 
 outdoor activities, raise awareness, and engage in projects, 
 initiatives, and campaigns to protect and restore the planet, such as 
 planting trees, removing litter, cleaning up coral reefs, conserving 
 water and energy, driving less or using public transportation or active 
 mobility more, and other environmentally responsible actions, for more 
 than 1 day;
Whereas Earth Month provides an opportunity to educate, inform, and remind the 
 people of the United States--

    (1) of the need to expand environmental and climate literacy, in order 
to not only strengthen environmental and climate protections, but also to 
accelerate the development of green technologies and the creation of green 
jobs that will benefit all; and

    (2) that we must not pass a world beyond repair to our children;

Whereas Earth Month provides an opportunity to have a national celebration of 
 our natural resources, the diversity of native plants and animals, and 
 the power of people to steward and protect our planet; and
Whereas the mission and purpose of the original Earth Day remain relevant today 
 and need more attention than ever: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) designates the month of April 2025 as Earth Month; and

    (2) encourages the people of the United States to mark 
 Earth Month by working collaboratively to--
        (A) address environmental challenges large and 
 small, from climate change to microplastics;
        (B) uplift Indigenous environmental knowledge and 
 stewardship practices;
            (C) center the voices of frontline communities in 
 the conceptualization, design, and implementation of 
 proposed climate and environmental solutions;
            (D) improve energy efficiency and move toward 
 energy sources that reduce pollution and make our 
 systems more fair, affordable, sustainable, clean, and 
 reliable;
        (E) educate their friends, neighbors, and elected 
 representatives about the need for year-round 
 environmental action; and
        (F) explore, conserve, and enjoy the great outdoors 
 of the United States.
 <all>