[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 176 (Wednesday, December 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S6842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 632--SUPPORTING A TRANSITION TO 100 PERCENT CLEAN, 
 RENEWABLE ENERGY TO HELP CONSUMERS, SUPPORT THE ECONOMY AND NATIONAL 
 SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND AVOID THE WORST IMPACTS OF CLIMATE 
                                 CHANGE

  Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Schatz, Mr. 
Sanders, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Franken, and Ms. Warren) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources:

                              S. Res. 632

       Whereas, in December 2016, nearly 200 nations that are 
     parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate 
     Change adopted an historic international agreement to 
     undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change;
       Whereas transitioning to clean energy will help reduce 
     carbon pollution in the United States, and combat climate 
     change;
       Whereas transitioning to clean energy will help the United 
     States meet its international commitments to reduce 
     greenhouse gas emissions;
       Whereas transitioning to a clean energy economy will create 
     millions of well-paying jobs in the United States, save 
     consumers in the United States money, and boost economic 
     growth;
       Whereas low-income communities, communities of color, and 
     indigenous people in the United States are inordinately 
     exposed to pollution from fossil fuels;
       Whereas distributed renewable energy and energy efficiency 
     can provide access to local jobs in cities in the United 
     States while cleaning up neighborhoods;
       Whereas, in 2005, the United States had fewer than 10,000 
     megawatts of installed wind and solar electric generating 
     capacity;
       Whereas, in 2016, the United States has more than 100,000 
     megawatts of installed wind and solar electric generating 
     capacity;
       Whereas, in 2016, the United States is projected to add 
     more electric generating capacity from solar and wind than 
     from any other source;
       Whereas, by the end of 2016, there are projected to be--
       (1) 310,000 individuals in the United States employed in 
     the solar industry; and
       (2) 88,000 individuals in the United States employed in the 
     wind industry;
       Whereas, by 2020, there are projected to be nearly 600,000 
     individuals in the United States employed in the wind and 
     solar industries;
       Whereas more than \1/2\ of all new electricity capacity 
     added in the world in 2015 was renewable; and
       Whereas according to the National Renewable Energy 
     Laboratory, the United States has the technical potential to 
     generate more than 100 times the quantity of electricity it 
     consumes each year as of 2016 solely from wind, solar, and 
     other renewable resources: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports a national goal of phasing out fossil fuel 
     emissions and, by 2050, generating 100 percent of the 
     electricity consumed in the United States from clean energy 
     resources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and other 
     renewable resources; and
       (2) supports policies to achieve that goal that will--
       (A) create jobs for all individuals, especially in 
     communities with high rates of unemployment or 
     underemployment, and build a sustainable economy; and
       (B) ensure universal access to clean energy for all homes 
     and businesses in the United States, including for moderate- 
     and low-income families.

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