III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 342 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that States, cities, Tribal nations, businesses, and institutions of higher education in the United States should 

work towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 

Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. DURBIN, 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. WYDEN, Ms. HIRONO, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, and Mr. REED) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that States, cities, Tribal 

nations, businesses, and institutions of higher education 

in the United States should work towards achieving the 

goals of the Paris Agreement. 

Whereas 197 countries have signed the Paris Agreement, and 

170 countries have joined the Paris Agreement; 

Whereas the United States is the only country with the intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement; 

Whereas the economy of the United States grew by 15 percent between 2005 and 2015 while net greenhouse gas 

emissions decreased by 11.5 percent during that period; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 342 IS 

Whereas 30 States have adopted renewable electricity standard requirements to demand clean energy production; 

Whereas 20 States have adopted greenhouse gas emissions 

targets; 

Whereas 20 States have adopted energy efficiency resource 

standards; 

Whereas 10 States have adopted zero-emission vehicle targets; 

Whereas 9 States have implemented the Regional Greenhouse 

Gas Initiative to construct a market-based system that 

sets a cap on emissions from the electric sector that declines by— 

(1) 2.5 percent per year through 2020; and 

(2) 3 percent per year from 2021 through 2030; 

Whereas additional States may also soon join the Regional 

Greenhouse Gas Initiative; 

Whereas 11 States have approved at least 1 energy efficiency 

standard for appliances or equipment that are not covered by Federal standards; 

Whereas 47 cities in the United States have adopted 100 percent clean and renewable energy goals; 

Whereas more than 2,500,000 people in the United States 

work in clean energy in all 50 States, including in industries relating to— 

(1) wind energy; 

(2) solar energy; 

(3) energy efficiency; and 

(4) advanced hybrid electric vehicles; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 342 IS 

Whereas by 2020 there will be 500,000 people in the United 

States working in the solar and wind industries, including roofers, electricians, and steel workers; 

Whereas the majority of clean energy jobs in the United 

States are blue collar jobs that pay well; 

Whereas the ‘‘2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report’’ 

issued by the Department of Energy found that there are 

5 times as many people in the United States working in 

the renewable energy sector than there are people in the 

United States working in fossil fuel industries; 

Whereas the establishment of vehicle fuel economy emissions 

standards— 

(1) is the single most significant action that has 

been taken to reduce global warming pollution; 

(2) has helped create 700,000 domestic jobs in the 

automobile industry of the United States since 2009; 

(3) will save consumers in the United States a total 

of $100,000,000,000 at the gas pump; and 

(4) will reduce the reliance of the United States on 

foreign oil by 2,500,000 barrels per day by 2030; 

Whereas the States, cities, Tribal nations, businesses, and institutions of higher education of the United States that 

support the objectives of the Paris Agreement represent 

more than half of the economy of the United States; and 

Whereas millions of dollars for clean energy and climate 

change adaptation resiliency in developing countries have 

been provided by the United States through contributions 

that are— 

(1) private, public, and Federal; and 

(2) made directly, bilaterally, and through multilateral institutions: Now, therefore, be it 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 342 IS 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 

2 United States— 

3 (1) should remain a signatory to the Paris 

4 Agreement; and 

5 (2) should support policies at the Federal, 

6 State, and local level that promote the reduction of 

7 global warming pollution and aim to meet the objec8 tives of the Paris Agreement. 

Æ 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS