[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 50 (Friday, April 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CELEBRATING EARTH DAY--SENATOR GAYLORD NELSON'S LEGACY

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                           HON. DAVID R. OBEY

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 21, 2005

  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, Earth Day is a great day to call attention to 
the many environmental public health challenges that face everyone on 
the planet. Established by Wisconsin's own Senator Gaylord Nelson on 
April 22, 1970, it stands as an annual reminder that as human beings we 
should recommit ourselves to his vision of a world where we demonstrate 
a mutual respect for one another by not ``fouling the nest'' and 
preserving the fragile planet we share. I submit for inclusion in the 
Record this statement from Senator Nelson on the occasion of the 35th 
anniversary of Earth Day:

                     Earth Day 2005--A Wake Up Call

        (By Former Senator Gaylord Nelson--Founder of Earth Day)

       The 35th anniversary of Earth Day is a sobering occasion. 
     On previous anniversaries we have hailed this ``new 
     awakening'' as millions around the world suddenly rose up and 
     pledged their support for a new campaign to save the natural 
     environment.
       In 1993 American Heritage magazine called Earth Day ``one 
     of the most remarkable happenings in the history of 
     democracy.'' There has been progress, of course, particularly 
     in public awareness of the critical role environment plays in 
     our lives and in the education and training of new 
     environmental leaders. Environment has become a major 
     political issue. The public is prepared to support those 
     measures necessary to forge a sustainable society, if the 
     President and the Congress have the vision to lead us to that 
     goal.
       Unfortunately, the President and the Congress have not 
     stepped up to the challenge of providing national and world 
     leadership on the environmental crisis.
       In fact, on some key issues, they are actually resisting or 
     reversing progress made in the past 30 to 40 years. And 
     without strong, sustained leadership from the President and 
     Congress the urgent challenge to protect the environment and 
     create a sustainable society cannot succeed. Theodore 
     Roosevelt made conservation a top priority for the Republican 
     party, and many members of his party carried that torch over 
     the years. Recently, however, the GOP leadership has 
     abandoned this cause. There are many serious environmental 
     problems confronting us. But two current environmental 
     issues dramatize this failure of leadership--energy 
     conservation, and population control. Both are critical to 
     the sustainability of our society. In each case, there is 
     not only a lack of wise national leadership but an 
     apparent determination to turn back the clock. The 
     surrender to special interests on these two issues makes a 
     mockery of any claim to environmental awareness.
       Egged on by the President, the Senate on March 16 sneaked 
     into the annual budget resolution a scheme to allow drilling 
     for oil in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 
     protected in 1960 at the urging of great environmentalists 
     such as Sigurd Olson, Justice William O. Douglas, and 
     Wilderness Act author Howard Zahniser. The bill was signed by 
     President Eisenhower.
       This is not just a sabotage of environmental policy. It 
     also undermines any hope for a wise energy policy. When all 
     the evidence calls for bold steps to conserve energy and 
     develop alternative sources, this cynical action implies that 
     we can burn all the oil we want and just move on to the next 
     untapped source, no matter where it might be.
       We are told it may be 10 years before a very modest amount 
     of oil could be produced from this pristine refuge. And what 
     would it cost in real terms?
       For the President to call for oil drilling in the Arctic 
     Wildlife Refuge is like burning the furniture in the White 
     House to keep the First Family comfortable.
       Equally critical is the failure of the President and 
     Congress to confront the issue of population control, in our 
     own rapidly growing country and the rest of the world.
       A ``Rockefeller Report'' in 1972, issued by the President's 
     commission on population growth, urged the U.S. to move 
     vigorously to stabilize our population at about 200 million 
     as rapidly as possible. Since then our population has 
     ballooned to 282 million, and is expected to reach 500 
     million between 2060 and 2070. We are heading into a century 
     in which we will double and triple our population in a short 
     time.
       World-wide population projections are equally chilling. A 
     series of international conferences have called for bold 
     action to control population growth.
       Yet the United States in recent years has become an 
     aggressive opponent of family planning programs in other 
     countries, and we are now facing efforts by some ``new 
     conservatives'' to impose similar restrictions at home.
       On previous Earth Days we have offered a solution: The 
     President should set the standard by delivering a message to 
     the Congress on the state of the environment, citing 
     priorities that need to be addressed. Congress then should 
     hold hearings on these issues. This would produce a 
     ``national dialogue'' on the sustainability of our 
     environment, and provide a roadmap to the future.
       Without Presidential leadership and Congressional hearings, 
     we cannot claim to be taking seriously the most compelling 
     threats facing our society.
       On environmental issues, our intelligence is reliable. Our 
     scientists have the facts, if we will only listen. It is a 
     ``slam dunk'' that we cannot continue on our present course. 
     But without Presidential and Congressional leadership, even 
     an enlightened public cannot cope with the greatest challenge 
     of our time.--Gaylord Nelson, Washington, DC April, 2005.

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