[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 672 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 672

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the energy, 
environmental, and foreign policies of the United States should reflect 
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to 
 climate change, as documented by credible scientific findings and as 
        evidenced by the extreme weather events of recent years.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 31, 2012

Mr. Moran submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the energy, 
environmental, and foreign policies of the United States should reflect 
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to 
 climate change, as documented by credible scientific findings and as 
        evidenced by the extreme weather events of recent years.

Whereas an overwhelming majority of credentialed scientists, in the United 
        States and abroad, support the findings that climate change is happening 
        and that human activities are a key contributor to it;
Whereas the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that 
        human emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, are 
        responsible for global warming;
Whereas the average surface temperature of the Earth is predicted to increase by 
        3.2F to 7.2F by the end of the 21st century relative to the 
        temperatures experienced in the 1980 to 1990 timeframe;
Whereas the average rate of warming over each inhabited continent is very likely 
        to be at least twice as large as that experienced during the 20th 
        century;
Whereas an increase in temperature will have major adverse impacts on both the 
        natural and man-made environments and cause significant human suffering 
        due to heat waves, prolonged droughts, water scarcity, food insecurity, 
        rising sea-levels, intensification and frequency of extreme weather 
        events, and extinction of some species;
Whereas greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide trap radiation from the sun and 
        warm the planet's surface;
Whereas as concentrations of these gases increase, more warming occurs than 
        would happen naturally;
Whereas in the United States, fossil fuel use accounted for 95 percent of carbon 
        dioxide emissions in 2010;
Whereas the United States was responsible for 18 percent of the estimated 30,313 
        Teragrams (Tg) of carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere through the 
        global combustion of fossil fuels in 2009 alone;
Whereas the United States relies on electricity to meet a significant portion of 
        its energy demands;
Whereas United States electricity generation from fossil fuels emitted 42 
        percent of the carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion in 2010;
Whereas in order to stabilize the Earth's climate and prevent catastrophic 
        global climate change, the levels of worldwide carbon dioxide and other 
        greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced;
Whereas many religious faiths in the United States and abroad have issued 
        proclamations about the moral obligation to be good stewards of the 
        Earth and about the moral imperative for action on climate change;
Whereas economists in the United States and abroad recognize the great potential 
        for job creation in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other 
        innovative practices;
Whereas United States national security experts recognize that climate change 
        acts as an accelerant of instability and conflict;
Whereas public health experts have documented the health impacts of rising 
        temperatures, the expansion of vector borne infectious diseases, risks 
        to worldwide food supplies, as well as the direct physical effects of 
        more frequent and extreme weather events; and
Whereas a growing number of political, scientific, business, and religious 
        leaders believe steps must be taken to avoid catastrophic effects of 
        climate change: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) acknowledges the scientific findings confirming that 
        climate change is happening;
            (2) acknowledges that human activities are a primary cause 
        of climate change;
            (3) recognizes that climate change poses unacceptable risks 
        to the health, safety, and welfare of the people of current and 
        future generations of the United States;
            (4) accepts its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of 
        the people of the United States;
            (5) acknowledges that the welfare of the people of the 
        United States is best protected by policies that--
                    (A) reduce energy consumption and increase energy 
                efficiency;
                    (B) shift power supply strategy from oil coal and 
                natural gas to wind, solar, geothermal, and other 
                renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil 
                fuels;
                    (C) capture and store carbon by planting and 
                greening of urban landscapes and improving land and 
                forest management practices; and
                    (D) help people of the United States and abroad 
                prepare for and withstand the significant impacts of 
                climate change that are already occurring and that are 
                likely to accelerate in years ahead; and
            (6) pledges to promptly introduce and enact legislation to 
        achieve these goals.
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