[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 55 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 55

   Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and honoring the 
 founder of Earth Day, the late Senator Gaylord Nelson of the State of 
                               Wisconsin.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 23, 2010

    Mr. Feingold (for himself and Mr. Kohl) submitted the following 
   concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and honoring the 
 founder of Earth Day, the late Senator Gaylord Nelson of the State of 
                               Wisconsin.

Whereas Gaylord Nelson, former United States Senator from the State of 
        Wisconsin, is recognized as 1 of the leading environmentalists of the 
        20th century;
Whereas Gaylord Nelson helped launch an international era of environmental 
        awareness and activism;
Whereas Gaylord Nelson grew up in Clear Lake, Wisconsin;
Whereas Gaylord Nelson maintained and exemplified the progressive values of 
        Clear Lake, Wisconsin while rising to national prominence;
Whereas Gaylord Nelson served with distinction--

    (1) as a Senator in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1949 through 1959;

    (2) as Governor of the State of Wisconsin from 1959 through 1963; and

    (3) as a Senator in the United States Senate from 1963 through 1981;

Whereas Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day, which was first celebrated on April 
        22, 1970, by approximately 20,000,000 people across the United States;
Whereas, at the time, the first celebration of Earth Day was the largest 
        environmental grassroots event ever held;
Whereas, on the first celebration of Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson called on the 
        people of the United States to hold elected officials accountable for 
        protecting the health of the people of the United States and the natural 
        environment;
Whereas the first celebration of Earth Day launched the Environmental Decade, an 
        unparalleled period of legislative and grassroots activity that resulted 
        in the passage of 28 major pieces of environmental legislation from 1970 
        through 1980, including--

    (1) the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.);

    (2) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.); 
and

    (3) the National Environmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5501 et seq.);

Whereas Gaylord Nelson was responsible for legislation that--

    (1) created the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the St. Croix 
Wild and Scenic Riverway; and

    (2) protected other important natural treasures of the State of 
Wisconsin and the United States;

Whereas Gaylord Nelson sponsored legislation to ban phosphates in household 
        detergents and the use of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT);
Whereas Gaylord Nelson worked tirelessly to ensure clean water and clean air for 
        all people of the United States;
Whereas, in addition to providing environmental leadership, Gaylord Nelson--

    (1) fought for civil rights;

    (2) enlisted in the War on Poverty;

    (3) challenged drug companies and tire manufacturers to protect 
consumers; and

    (4) to defend and protect civil liberties, stood up to Senator Joseph 
McCarthy, the Un-American Activities Committee of the House of 
Representatives, and the Nixon Administration;

Whereas Gaylord Nelson was a patriot, who as a young soldier honorably served 46 
        months in the Armed Forces during World War II;
Whereas Gaylord Nelson, as a Senator, courageously opposed the Vietnam War and 
        worked to ban the use of the toxic defoliant Agent Orange;
Whereas, in 1995, Gaylord Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 
        the highest honor awarded to civilians in the United States;
Whereas the legacy of Gaylord Nelson has inspired an environmental ethic and an 
        appreciation and understanding of the importance of being good stewards 
        of the environment and the planet in generations of the people of the 
        United States;
Whereas Gaylord Nelson was an extraordinary statesman, public servant, 
        environmentalist, husband, father, and friend; and
Whereas Gaylord Nelson never let disagreement on the issues become personal or 
        partisan: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress commemorates the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and honors 
the founder of Earth Day, the late Senator Gaylord Nelson of the State 
of Wisconsin.
                                 <all>