119-sres483

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 483 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 483

 Honoring the extraordinary life, leadership, and legacy of Dr. Jane 
 Goodall.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 November 5, 2025

 Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Durbin, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Heinrich, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Schiff, 
Ms. Rosen, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
Markey, and Mrs. Gillibrand) submitted the following resolution; which 
 was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Honoring the extraordinary life, leadership, and legacy of Dr. Jane 
 Goodall.

Whereas Dr. Jane Goodall, born in Hampstead, London, on April 3, 1934, became 
 one of the world's most celebrated ethologists, animal behaviorists, and 
 environmental conservationists;
Whereas, throughout her life, Jane Goodall remained an indefatigable advocate 
 for wildlife, dedicating herself not only to the protection of 
 chimpanzees and other primates, but also to broader efforts to safeguard 
 the natural world;
Whereas Jane Goodall's work extended far beyond science, inspiring generations 
 through her books, films, lectures, and the Jane Goodall Institute and 
 the ``Roots and Shoots Program,'' which encourages youth around the 
 world to work to make the world a better place for people, animals, and 
 the environment;
Whereas, in 1957, at the age of just 23, Ms. Goodall moved to Africa on her own, 
 where she met the famed paleontologist Louis Leakey, and with his 
 support and encouragement, she began the work that would define her 
 life;
Whereas, in 1960, Jane Goodall traveled to the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve

    (Gombe) in Tanzania, accompanied by her mother, Vanne, to begin her 
 groundbreaking study of wild chimpanzees and where she established what 
 has become the world's longest-running wild chimpanzee research program, 
 one that continues uninterrupted as of the date of this resolution;
Whereas, while at Gombe, Ms. Goodall, who at the time had not received formal 
 academic training, made observations that challenged prevailing 
 scientific assumptions;
Whereas Ms. Goodall documented chimpanzees making and using tools, hunting, and 
 displaying complex social behaviors, activities that had once been 
 thought exclusive to humans;
Whereas these findings not only transformed the study of primatology but 
 reshaped how the world views the emotional and social lives of all 
 animals;
Whereas, recognizing the importance of formal study, Ms. Goodall enrolled at 
 Newnham College, Cambridge, in 1962, earning a degree in natural 
 sciences and went on to pursue a doctorate at Darwin College, Cambridge, 
 completing her Ph.D. in 1966 with a thesis on the behavior of free-
 living chimpanzees;
Whereas Jane Goodall's early years of research at Gombe became the foundation of 
 a scientific legacy that bridged rigorous observation with empathy for 
 the animals she studied;
Whereas Jane Goodall's influence extended far beyond academia, as she authored 
 more than 27 books for both adults and children, appeared in numerous 
 documentaries and films, and became a cultural figure whose presence 
 extended beyond scientific circles;
Whereas, in 2019, the National Geographic Society honored her life's work with 
 ``Becoming Jane,'' a traveling exhibit that continues to tour across the 
 United States;
Whereas Ms. Goodall's most recent book, ``The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for 
 Trying Times,'' has been translated into more than 20 languages, 
 ensuring her voice resonates with people around the globe;
Whereas Jane Goodall's achievements have been recognized with some of the 
 world's highest honors;
Whereas Jane Goodall was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2002, and 
 2 years later, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British 
 Empire at Buckingham Palace;
Whereas Jane Goodall received the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, 
 the French Legion d'honneur, the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life 
 Science, Japan's prestigious Kyoto Prize, the Gandhi-King Award for 
 Nonviolence, the Medal of Tanzania, the Schweitzer Medal, and the Tyler 
 Prize for Environmental Achievement;
Whereas countless other governments, institutions, and organizations have also 
 celebrated Ms. Goodall's unique contributions;
Whereas Jane Goodall recognized that protecting nature is first and foremost 
 about educating and motivating human beings on whom the survival of all 
 species depends, which became her life's mission, and she also never 
 stopped advocating for the ethical treatment of animals;
Whereas most of the leading primatologists have been either mentored by Jane 
 Goodall or inspired by her life and work;
Whereas, in 1991, Ms. Goodall founded the ``Roots and Shoots Program,'' to bring 
 together young people, from preschool through university, to learn about 
 environmental challenges and to take action to address them;
Whereas, as of the date of this resolution, the Roots and Shoots Program has 
 local chapters in some 75 countries, encompassing thousands of 
 community-based groups and youth members worldwide;
Whereas Jane Goodall recognized the critical role that indigenous people have 
 played throughout history as caretakers of the natural environment and 
 stressed the need to include indigenous people in decisions about 
 policies, programs, and activities that impact their lands and 
 livelihoods;
Whereas Jane Goodall founded the Lake Tanganyika Catchment Reforestation and 
 Education

    (TACARE) program, recognizing that protecting forests and 
 other natural resources is not possible if people living in the 
 surrounding areas lack the necessities of life;
Whereas the TACARE program supports community-led sustainable agriculture 
 techniques, reforestation, public health, girls' education, fuel-
 efficient stoves, and small business development;
Whereas Jane Goodall's life was a remarkable blend of science, advocacy, and 
 compassion;
Whereas she showed the world that understanding animals requires not only 
 observation, but empathy, that conservation demands both knowledge and 
 courage, and that hope is a vital force in the struggle to protect the 
 Earth;
Whereas Jane Goodall's life was, above all, one of inspiration, she encouraged 
 people everywhere, regardless of nationality, religion, or political 
 affiliation, to recognize their ability and responsibility to protect 
 wildlife and the planet's threatened ecosystems;
Whereas, whether through scientific discovery, writing, advocacy, or personal 
 example, Jane Goodall conveyed an unshakable belief that individuals can 
 make a difference;
Whereas, on October 1, 2025, at the age of 91, Jane Goodall passed away while 
 continuing the work to which she had devoted her life, raising awareness 
 about threats to the global environment and urging humanity to act to 
 protect it;
Whereas her death marked the end of an extraordinary personal journey, but not 
 of the movement she inspired;
Whereas the programs she founded, the generations she mentored, and the many 
 millions she influenced stand as enduring testaments to her vision and 
 determination; and
Whereas Jane Goodall's legacy will continue to inspire humanity to live in 
 greater harmony with the natural world: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) pays tribute to Dr. Jane Goodall's lifelong dedication 
 to the survival and ethical treatment of chimpanzees and other 
 living things and to wildlife conservation throughout the 
 world;

    (2) commends her tireless efforts to educate the public and 
 especially children about the importance of protecting the 
 natural environment;

    (3) extends its deepest condolences and sympathies to Jane 
 Goodall's family and the staff at the Jane Goodall Institute 
 and the Roots and Shoots Program in this time of loss; and

    (4) honors the extraordinary life, leadership, and legacy 
 of Jane Goodall, whose efforts to protect wildlife and the 
 natural world continue to inspire people of every nationality 
 on every continent.
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