In determining that these policies should be pursued, the House would acknowledge several findings that spurred the introduction of this resolution, including the following:

• It is a conservative principle to conserve and be stewards of the environment, which includes planning for market forces and utilizing science to justify policies;

• Such conservation and stewardship is critical for the preservation of the environment for future generations;

• There’s been a marked increase in extreme weather across the U.S., leading to drought, floods, wildfires, and water shortages. These have had negative impacts in all regions of the country, and are expected to worsen;

• Increased pollutants contribute to environmental and health impacts at all levels of society, from localities to the nation as a whole;

• Climate change poses a threat to national defense, as its effect on the global level aggravate poverty and environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions;

• If unaddressed, the consequences of climate change will negatively impact all Americans, but particularly the most vulnerable populations. It will hurt productivity in many sectors of the economy, and burden future generations with greater economic and environmental challenges;

• All efforts taken to address climate change shouldn’t constrain the U.S. economy — particularly with regard to global competitiveness;

• There is an increasing recognition that we can and must take meaningful and responsible action now to address this issue.

As a simple resolution, this legislation would not advance beyond the House of Representatives if it were to pass, and is not binding.