[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 188 (Thursday, November 16, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S7306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  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:

                              S. Res. 342

       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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