Recognizing the 54th anniversary of Earth Day and the leadership of its founder, Senator Gaylord Nelson.

Environmental Protection

senate

Introduced on April 18, 2024 by Tammy Baldwin

Cosponsors

Legislation Details

Recognizes the 54th anniversary of Earth Day and the leadership of its founder, Senator Gaylord Nelson.
Acknowledges Earth Day as a global event for demonstrating support for environmental preservation, protection, and defense.
Highlights Senator Gaylord Nelson’s establishment of Earth Day, his recognition as a leading 20th-century environmentalist, and his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Credits the Earth Day movement with initiating an era of international environmental awareness and activism.
Notes the critical role of young individuals in organizing the first Earth Day in 1970, which mobilized 20 million people, marking it as the largest environmental grassroots event at that time.
Addresses ongoing environmental challenges, including climate change, severe weather events, and their threats to well-being and livelihoods, especially in coastal and rural communities.
Points out that pollution, environmental degradation, and the climate crisis disproportionately affect young people, future generations, low-income communities, and communities of color.
References scientific reports calling for urgent action on the climate crisis.
Mentions the first Earth Day’s role in garnering support for environmental conservation, leading to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the enactment of key environmental protection legislation.
Highlights historic investments in clean water and air through legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Acknowledges a youth-led resurgence in environmental and climate activism in the United States, demanding climate action.
Affirms the ongoing relevance of Earth Day’s mission and purpose in 2024, encouraging a new generation to address environmental challenges.

Last updated 8/8/2024