Whereas Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, and is an annual event to promote environmental citizenship and year-round environmental action, and to commit citizens to leave behind a healthier world for the next generation;

Whereas the first celebration of Earth Day was the largest environmental grassroots event ever held at that time and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement;

Whereas the voices of inaugural Earth Day participants galvanized an unparalleled period of legislative and grassroots activity that changed the way we interact with the environment, leading to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of legislation, such as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly referred to as the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);

Whereas the work that those inaugural Earth Day participants started continues today;

Whereas climate change is happening at an accelerating rate, with global temperatures rising faster than ever before, driven by human activities and particularly by emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases;

Whereas there is scientific consensus that climate change poses a dire threat to our planet and its inhabitants, and that urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to mitigate its worst effects;

Whereas there is substantial scientific evidence that air pollution, extreme heat, disasters, and other climate induced impacts severely impact human health, including by increasing the risk of cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and other illnesses and negative health impacts;

Whereas the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity has called for preserving 30 percent of the planet by 2030 to conserve and restore biodiversity, expand access to nature, and mitigate and build resilience to climate change;

Whereas all people have the right to a safe and healthy environment to live, work, learn, play, and pray;

Whereas all workers have a right to a safe and healthy work environment without being forced to choose between an unsafe livelihood and unemployment;

Whereas the people of the United States need to learn from and build community with Indigenous communities, including Tribal Nations, who have stewarded the land for generations and have great wisdom on preserving biodiversity;

Whereas, to deal with the climate crisis and to preserve 30 percent of the planet by 2030, the world needs more than 1 day of environmental awareness, activism, and stewardship, and everyone needs to remind people to find ways to protect the environment;

Whereas communities of color and low socio-economic status bear the disproportionate burden of the climate crisis and environmental pollution;

Whereas Earth Month provides an opportunity for people to participate in healthy outdoor activities, raise awareness, and engage in projects, initiatives, and campaigns to protect and restore the planet, such as planting trees, removing litter, cleaning up coral reefs, conserving water and energy, driving less or using public transportation or active mobility more, and other environmentally responsible actions, for more than 1 day;

Whereas Earth Month provides an opportunity to educate, inform, and remind the people of the United States—

Whereas Earth Month provides an opportunity to have a national celebration of our natural resources, the diversity of native plants and animals, and the power of people to steward and protect our planet; and

Whereas the mission and purpose of the original Earth Day remain relevant today and need more attention than ever: Now, therefore, be it