III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 255 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 22, 2010 

Received 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and 

honoring the founder of Earth Day, the late Senator 

Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson, former United States Senator from 

Wisconsin, is recognized as one of the leading environmentalists of the 20th Century who helped launch an 

international era of environmental awareness and activism; 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson grew up in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, 

and rose to national prominence while exemplifying the 

progressive values instilled in him; 


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HCON 255 RDS 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson served with distinction in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1949 to 1959, as Governor of 

the State of Wisconsin from 1959 to 1963, and in the 

United States Senate from 1963 to 1981; 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day, which was first 

celebrated on April 22, 1970, by 20 million people across 

the United States, making the celebration the largest environmental grassroots event in history at that time; 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson called on Americans to hold their 

elected officials accountable for protecting their health 

and the natural environment on that first Earth Day, an 

action which launched the Environmental Decade, an unparalleled period of legislative and grassroots activity that 

resulted in passage of 28 major pieces of environmental 

legislation from 1970 to 1980, including the Clean Air 

Act, the Clean Water Act, and the National Environmental Education Act; 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson was responsible for legislation that 

created the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the 

St. Croix Wild and Scenic Riverway and protected other 

important Wisconsin and national treasures; 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson sponsored legislation to ban 

phosphates in household detergents and to ban the use 

of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and he 

worked tirelessly to ensure clean water and clean air for 

all Americans; 

Whereas in addition to his environmental leadership, Gaylord 

Nelson fought for civil rights, enlisted for the War on 

Poverty, challenged drug companies and tire manufacturers to protect consumers, and stood up to Senator Joe 


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HCON 255 RDS 

McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee to defend and protect civil liberties; 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson was a patriot, who as a young soldier honorably served 46 months in the Armed Forces 

during World War II, and then, as Senator, worked to 

ban the use of the toxic defoliant Agent Orange; 

Whereas, in 1995, Gaylord Nelson was awarded the highest 

honor accorded civilians in the United States, the Presidential Medal of Freedom; 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson’s legacy includes generations of 

Americans who have grown up with an environmental 

ethic and an appreciation and understanding of their 

roles as stewards of the environment and the planet; and 

Whereas Gaylord Nelson was an extraordinary statesman, 

public servant, environmentalist, husband, father, and 

friend, and who never let disagreement on the issues become personal or partisan: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress commemorates the 40th anni3 versary of Earth Day and honors the founder of Earth 

4 Day, the late Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. 

Passed the House of Representatives April 21, 2010. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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