III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 386 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should establish 

a goal of more than 50 percent clean and carbon-free electricity by 

2030 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, grow the economy, 

increase shared prosperity, improve public health, and preserve the national security of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 3, 2016 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. REID, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. SCHUMER, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. LEAHY, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. COONS, Mr. 

WYDEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. NELSON, Mrs. BOXER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, 

Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. UDALL, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. 

BOOKER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. SCHATZ, Ms. WARREN, Mr. KING, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. MURPHY, and Mr. CARPER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States 

should establish a goal of more than 50 percent clean 

and carbon-free electricity by 2030 to avoid the worst 

impacts of climate change, grow the economy, increase 

shared prosperity, improve public health, and preserve 

the national security of the United States. 

Whereas failing to act on climate change will have a devastating impact on the United States economy, costing 

billions of dollars in lost gross domestic product; 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 386 IS 

Whereas extreme weather, intensified by climate change, has 

already cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year in recovery efforts and the amount will continue to grow if climate change is not addressed; 

Whereas decreased economic growth and increased costs of 

infrastructure repairs and other recovery efforts due to 

climate change will significantly increase the budget deficit and undermine the fiscal stability of the United 

States; 

Whereas climate change will have devastating public health 

implications, including— 

(1) increased rates of asthma and other respiratory 

diseases, especially in vulnerable populations, including 

children and low-income communities; 

(2) the spread of infectious diseases; 

(3) risks to food and water supplies; and 

(4) an increased number of premature deaths; 

Whereas inaction on climate change will disproportionately 

impact communities of color and exacerbate economic inequalities; 

Whereas the Secretary of Defense has identified climate 

change as a threat multiplier that will increase global instability and conflict; 

Whereas the transition to a clean energy economy is feasible 

with existing technology; and 

Whereas the transition to clean energy will— 

(1) create millions of jobs; 

(2) increase— 

(A) the gross domestic product of the United 

States; and 

(B) household income; 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 386 IS 

(3) save— 

(A) billions of dollars in avoidable health costs; 

and 

(B) lives and improve public health; 

(4) lower energy bills for businesses and consumers; 

(5) help the United States achieve the international 

emissions reduction goal of reducing greenhouse gas 

emissions to 26 to 28 percent of 2005 levels by 2025; 

and 

(6) unlock billions of dollars in private investment: 

Now, therefore, be it 

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

2 United States should— 

3 (1) establish a national goal of more than 50 

4 percent clean and carbon-free electricity by 2030; 

5 and 

6 (2) enact legislation to accelerate the transition 

7 to clean energy to meet that goal. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS