IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 284 

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

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 26, 2017 

Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. 

BARRAGA ́N, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, 

Mr. BEYER, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. BROWN of 

Maryland, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. CONYERS, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. EVANS, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. 

GALLEGO, Ms. HANABUSA, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. 

JEFFRIES, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. 

KRISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. LEE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. TED LIEU of 

California, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of New Mexico, Ms. 

MCCOLLUM, Mr. MOULTON, Mrs. MURPHY of Florida, Mr. NADLER, Mr. 

NORCROSS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. POCAN, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. 

SABLAN, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. TONKO, Ms. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, and 

Ms. WILSON of Florida) 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 jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

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 


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hold elected officials accountable for failing to adequately 

protect the health of people and the natural environment; 

Whereas after witnessing years of environmental neglect, millions 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 planet 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 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 passage of legislation 

such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the 

Endangered 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 

around the world, and reminds people to find ways to 


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protect the environment, including managing their own 

environmental impact; 

Whereas on Earth Day, people engage in projects, initiatives, 

and campaigns to protect and restore the planet including planting trees, removing litter, cleaning up coral 

reefs, conserving water and energy, and other environmentally responsible actions; 

Whereas new and continuing challenges, including climate 

change, polluted oceans and waterways, loss of forest, 

wetlands, and other wildlife habitats, reinforce the need 

for adequate protections for the air we breathe, the water 

we drink, the land we inhabit, and the animals we live 

alongside; 

Whereas the American Public Health Association declared 

2017 the year of climate change and health, because 

changes to our climate are harming Americans health 

and safety, including respiratory allergies and asthma; 

Whereas Earth Day reaffirms our national responsibility in 

the global effort to combat climate change and protect 

our planet; 

Whereas Earth Day reminds us of the need to expand environmental and climate literacy not only to strengthen environmental and climate protections but also to accelerate 

development of green technologies and creation of green 

jobs; and 

Whereas Earth Day reminds us we must not pass a world beyond repair to our children: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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1 (1) urges the President to issue a proclamation 

2 recognizing Earth Day, consistent with the practice 

3 of the previous administration; 

4 (2) encourages the American people to mark 

5 Earth Day by working to address environmental 

6 challenges large and small, from climate change to 

7 litter; to educate their friends, neighbors, and elect8 ed representatives about the need for year-round ac9 tion; and to otherwise honor the stewardship ethic 

10 for which Senator Gaylord Nelson stood; and 

11 (3) urges governments and peoples around the 

12 world to continue building upon the Paris Agree13 ment and other efforts to ensure that future genera14 tions inherit a livable, sustainable, and ecologically 

15 rich planet Earth. 

Æ 


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