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. CON-
NOLLY, 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 re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined 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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•HRES 284 IH 
hold elected officials accountable for failing to adequately 
protect the health of people and the natural environment; 
Whereas after witnessing years of environmental neglect, mil-
lions 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 plan-
et 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 environ-
mental movement; 
Whereas the voices of inaugural Earth Day participants gal-
vanized an unparalleled period of legislative and grass-
roots activity that changed the way we interact with the 
environment, leading to the creation of the Environ-
mental 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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•HRES 284 IH 
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 includ-
ing planting trees, removing litter, cleaning up coral 
reefs, conserving water and energy, and other environ-
mentally 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 envi-
ronmental and climate literacy not only to strengthen en-
vironmental 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 be-
yond repair to our children: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 284 IH 
(1) urges the President to issue a proclamation 
recognizing Earth Day, consistent with the practice 
of the previous administration; 
(2) encourages the American people to mark 
Earth Day by working to address environmental 
challenges large and small, from climate change to 
litter; to educate their friends, neighbors, and elect-
ed representatives about the need for year-round ac-
tion; and to otherwise honor the stewardship ethic 
for which Senator Gaylord Nelson stood; and 
(3) urges governments and peoples around the 
world to continue building upon the Paris Agree-
ment and other efforts to ensure that future genera-
tions inherit a livable, sustainable, and ecologically 
rich planet Earth. 
Æ 
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