[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 864 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 864

                  To designate April 22 as Earth Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 22, 1999

  Mr. Bingaman (for himself and Mr. Chafee) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                  To designate April 22 as Earth Day.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Earth Day Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) April 22, 1970--the first national celebration of Earth 
        Day--enlisted 20 million Americans and greatly increased 
        environmental awareness nationwide.
            (2) Earth Day has been celebrated every year since then by 
        increasing numbers of Americans, and is now observed in more 
        than 140 countries.
            (3) Earth day calls attention to harmful human impacts on 
        the natural environment, including air pollution, water 
        pollution, ocean pollution, stratospheric pollution, and the 
        disposal of hazardous wastes.
            (4) Earth Day alerts the world to environmental threats to 
        human health and well-being as well as the loss of native 
        forests, wetlands, prairies, marine ecosystems, and other 
        wildlife habitats and wilderness areas, and the diverse species 
        that inhabit them.
            (5) Earth Day educates the public about positive 
        opportunities to improve the world by: improving energy 
        efficiency; developing safe, renewable energy sources; 
        eliminating the production of harmful wastes; designing all 
        goods to be durable, reusable, and recyclable; protecting 
        biodiversity; and encouraging sustainable development 
        throughout the world.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO TITLE 36, UNITED STATES CODE.

    Title 36, United States Code, ``Patriotic and National Observances, 
Ceremonies, and Organizations'', is amended by adding after section 143 
the following:
``Sec. 144. Earth Day
    ``(a) Designation.--April 22 is Earth Day.
    ``(b) Purpose.--Earth Day draws attention to the impact of human 
activity on the natural environment, alerts the world to environmental 
threats to human health and well-being, and advocates personal actions 
and public policies to promote and preserve a healthy, diverse, 
resilient, and productive world for our children.
    ``(c) Proclamation.--The President is requested to issue each year 
a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to--
            ``(1) renew their commitment to improve and protect the 
        quality of the environment, and
            ``(2) observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and 
        activities.''.
                                 <all>