[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 46 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 46
Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States is committed to
ensuring a safe and healthy climate for future generations, and thus to
restoring the climate.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 23, 2025
Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Morelle, and
Mr. Thanedar) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States is committed to
ensuring a safe and healthy climate for future generations, and thus to
restoring the climate.
Whereas humanity has an obligation to future generations to restore and maintain
a safe climate that ensures our long-term survival;
Whereas, prior to the industrial revolution, humans have never lived with a
sustained atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration above 300 parts
per million (ppm);
Whereas today's atmospheric CO2 concentration is approximately 420 ppm, 50
percent higher than in preindustrial times, resulting in destructive
impacts on climate, agriculture, the environment, human health, and
economies around the world;
Whereas the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change set its
climate goal to stabilize greenhouse gas (GHG) levels in 1992, when the
atmospheric CO2 concentration was 350 ppm, which is the maximum level
theorized to sustain the ecosystems to which humans have adapted;
Whereas, in this resolution, ``climate restoration'' refers to--
(1) the goal of restoring the atmospheric CO2 concentration to that
which humans have survived long-term, (below 300 ppm); and
(2) actions required to achieve that concentration;
Whereas climate restoration is a crucial complement to rapid and deep emissions
reductions;
Whereas climate restoration by 2050, will require removing approximately
1,000,000,000,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, or net 50,000,000,000
tons per year for 20 years;
Whereas, approximately 1,000,000,000,000 tons of CO2 were removed from the
atmosphere by natural processes 10 times in the last 1,000,000 years,
and naturally occurring mechanisms are capable of removing geologically
significant amounts of atmospheric CO2, including carbon sequestration
by the ocean carbon biological pump;
Whereas scientists and technologists have developed and demonstrated CO2
sequestration methods that replicate and leverage these natural
processes in ways that significantly reduce atmospheric CO2
concentrations;
Whereas Congress should encourage investigation and investment in CO2 removal
methods and technologies that leverage existing natural processes, as
well as other technologies;
Whereas, in addition to CO2 removal, restoring the Earth's energy balance relies
on reducing feedback loops that negatively affect surface albedo, global
ocean and atmospheric circulation patterns, and cloud cover;
Whereas removing methane and other short-lived climate pollutants from the
atmosphere between now and 2030 is essential as a bridge to achieving
longer term climate restoration;
Whereas climate restoration will benefit the people of the United States by
reducing loss and damage from heat waves, floods, storms, droughts,
wildfires, and other disasters exacerbated by climate change, while
producing positive effects on human and ecosystem health, along with
benefiting the economy as a whole;
Whereas climate restoration is a precondition for intergenerational climate
justice, as young people will suffer the worst effects of climate
breakdown;
Whereas the urgent action needed to restore a safe climate is consistent with H.
Res. 975, introduced in 2022, and H. Res. 259, introduced in 2023, which
are resolutions that recognize the mental health impacts of recurrent
climate-related disasters on youth, a group especially vulnerable to the
physical and mental health impacts of climate-related disasters, and the
far greater suffering young people and future generations will endure if
the climate continues to worsen; and
Whereas, on July 3, 2023, the California Senate passed SR-34, becoming the first
State to pass a resolution formally recognizing an obligation to future
generations to restore the atmospheric CO2 concentration to a safe
level, below 300 ppm, and calling for action by the Federal Government,
in the form of an international climate treaty, to restore and stabilize
greenhouse gas concentrations as a common climate goal: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) formally recognizes its obligation to future
generations to restore a safe climate;
(2) declares that climate restoration, along with achieving
net-zero CO2 emissions, are climate policy priorities; and
(3) calls on the President, Secretary of State, and United
States Ambassador to the United Nations to take actions that
will restore the climate and stabilize greenhouse gas
concentrations at preindustrial levels.
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