Sponsors (9)
Introduced December 17, 2025 by Sheldon Whitehouse · Last progress December 17, 2025
The resolution provides authoritative scientific information that helps communities, water systems, and policymakers target adaptation and relief for large economic and human risks from sea-level rise, but it also makes those risks more visible in ways that could raise public costs, depress coastal property values, and shift economic burdens onto homeowners, insurers, and fossil-fuel-dependent workers.
Coastal communities, homeowners, and local governments get a clearer scientific basis to plan adaptation and prioritize infrastructure investments to reduce future flood and sea-level impacts.
Water managers and rural/coastal communities gain improved recognition of freshwater salinization risks, helping prioritize protections for drinking water supplies and public health.
Federal and state policymakers get documented economic exposure (coastal counties produce roughly $10 trillion annually), improving the case for directing aid and resilience funding to vulnerable local economies.
Taxpayers could face higher federal and state costs if the findings prompt large-scale adaptation programs, buyouts, or resilience investments funded by public budgets.
Homeowners and renters in identified high-risk areas may see higher insurance premiums, reduced coverage availability, or greater out-of-pocket costs as sea-level risk is formalized.
Local real estate markets and municipal tax bases in high-risk coastal areas could decline as buyers and lenders respond to formal risk findings, harming homeowners' equity and local government revenues.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Formally records scientific findings that sea levels are rising, identifies causes and projected impacts including displacement and large economic exposure.
Declares and records scientific findings that U.S. coastal tide gauges show accelerating sea-level rise driven in part by thermal expansion, and that rising seas are increasing coastal flooding, storm impacts, and saltwater intrusion. Summarizes projections of 2 to 7.2 feet average global sea-level rise by 2100 (depending on emissions), notes the potential for multi-foot contributions from Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, and cites current exposure and economic impacts including millions of people and trillions in coastal economic output at risk.