[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 342 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 342

Expressing the sense of the Senate that States, cities, Tribal nations, 
 businesses, and institutions of higher education in the United States 
    should work towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 16, 2017

Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. 
   Gillibrand, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
    Menendez, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr. Reed) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that States, cities, Tribal nations, 
 businesses, and institutions of higher education in the United States 
    should work towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Whereas 197 countries have signed the Paris Agreement, and 170 countries have 
        joined the Paris Agreement;
Whereas the United States is the only country with the intention to withdraw 
        from the Paris Agreement;
Whereas the economy of the United States grew by 15 percent between 2005 and 
        2015 while net greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 11.5 percent during 
        that period;
Whereas 30 States have adopted renewable electricity standard requirements to 
        demand clean energy production;
Whereas 20 States have adopted greenhouse gas emissions targets;
Whereas 20 States have adopted energy efficiency resource standards;
Whereas 10 States have adopted zero-emission vehicle targets;
Whereas 9 States have implemented the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to 
        construct a market-based system that sets a cap on emissions from the 
        electric sector that declines by--

    (1) 2.5 percent per year through 2020; and

    (2) 3 percent per year from 2021 through 2030;

Whereas additional States may also soon join the Regional Greenhouse Gas 
        Initiative;
Whereas 11 States have approved at least 1 energy efficiency standard for 
        appliances or equipment that are not covered by Federal standards;
Whereas 47 cities in the United States have adopted 100 percent clean and 
        renewable energy goals;
Whereas more than 2,500,000 people in the United States work in clean energy in 
        all 50 States, including in industries relating to--

    (1) wind energy;

    (2) solar energy;

    (3) energy efficiency; and

    (4) advanced hybrid electric vehicles;

Whereas by 2020 there will be 500,000 people in the United States working in the 
        solar and wind industries, including roofers, electricians, and steel 
        workers;
Whereas the majority of clean energy jobs in the United States are blue collar 
        jobs that pay well;
Whereas the ``2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report'' issued by the Department 
        of Energy found that there are 5 times as many people in the United 
        States working in the renewable energy sector than there are people in 
        the United States working in fossil fuel industries;
Whereas the establishment of vehicle fuel economy emissions standards--

    (1) is the single most significant action that has been taken to reduce 
global warming pollution;

    (2) has helped create 700,000 domestic jobs in the automobile industry 
of the United States since 2009;

    (3) will save consumers in the United States a total of 
$100,000,000,000 at the gas pump; and

    (4) will reduce the reliance of the United States on foreign oil by 
2,500,000 barrels per day by 2030;

Whereas the States, cities, Tribal nations, businesses, and institutions of 
        higher education of the United States that support the objectives of the 
        Paris Agreement represent more than half of the economy of the United 
        States; and
Whereas millions of dollars for clean energy and climate change adaptation 
        resiliency in developing countries have been provided by the United 
        States through contributions that are--

    (1) private, public, and Federal; and

    (2) made directly, bilaterally, and through multilateral institutions: 
Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the United 
States--
            (1) should remain a signatory to the Paris Agreement; and
            (2) should support policies at the Federal, State, and 
        local level that promote the reduction of global warming 
        pollution and aim to meet the objectives of the Paris 
        Agreement.
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