•HRES 346 IH 
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 
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 
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•HRES 346 IH 
as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the En-
dangered 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 and 
stewardship around the world, and reminds people to find 
ways to protect the environment, including managing 
their own environmental impact; 
Whereas Earth Day serves as an opportunity to learn from 
and build community with indigenous communities, who 
have stewarded the land for generations and have great 
wisdom on preserving biodiversity; 
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 in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, 
Earth Challenge 2020 was launched, a global citizen 
science initiative to demonstrate how small acts of science 
can add up to global change; 
Whereas new and continuing challenges, including climate 
change, pollution, and loss of forest, wetlands, and other 
wildlife habitats, reinforce the need for adequate protec-
tions for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land 
we inhabit, and the animals we live alongside; 
Whereas there is scientific consensus that climate change 
poses a dire threat to our planet and its inhabitants, and 
that urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to 
mitigate its worst effects; 
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Whereas Earth Day reaffirms our national responsibility in 
the global effort to combat climate change and protect 
our planet for all; 
Whereas Earth Day encourages us to acknowledge the preva-
lence of environmental injustices that directly affect the 
health and well-being of individuals and communities 
across the country, and affirms our commitment to ame-
liorating existing environmental injustices, and to pre-
venting future injustices; 
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 that will benefit all; 
Whereas the mission and purpose of Earth Day remains rel-
evant today because pollution, environmental degradation, 
and the climate crisis are transgenerational justice issues; 
Whereas throughout the COVID–19 pandemic, people have 
been increasingly engaged in outdoor recreation, dem-
onstrating the critical role that the Earth plays in sup-
porting the health and well-being of people, especially 
during challenging times; 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— 
(1) urges the President to issue a proclamation 
recognizing Earth Day; 
(2) encourages the American people to mark 
Earth Day by working— 
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(A) to address environmental challenges 
large and small, from climate change to litter; 
(B) to educate their friends, neighbors, 
and elected representatives about the need for 
year-round action; and 
(C) to otherwise honor the stewardship 
ethic for which Senator Gaylord Nelson stood; 
(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; and 
(4) reaffirms that immediate action is needed to 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ameliorate en-
vironmental injustices in order to protect our Earth, 
the public health, and the overall well-being of all 
people and wildlife. 
Æ 
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