A Health and Safety Emergency Disproportionately Affecting Children

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A Health and Safety Emergency Disproportionately Affecting Children

Direct Link to Bill: S. CON. RES. 18

Recognizing a Health and Safety Emergency

In the Senate of the United States, July 16, 2025

Mr. M ERKLEY (for himself and Mr. R ENDENBARTH from Vermont) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES

(a) Findings—

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Congress recognizes the following:

The United States is facing a health and safety emergency that disproportionately affects children.

(1) LEADERSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES NEEDS

— To recognize and address the current health and safety emergency faced by children that is well documented and supported by the scientific community; to express its opposition to President Trump’s Executive orders that unleash fossil fuels, increase greenhouse gas emissions, block clean, renewable energy, and chill climate change-related speech; and

(A) Urgency:
The United States urgently needs leadership that recognizes and addresses the current health and safety emergency faced by children.

SECTION 2. DUTIES OF CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

(a) In general—

Congress and the Federal Government have a duty to constrain government actions that harm young people’s lives and deprive them of their fundamental constitutional rights to only those actions strictly necessary to achieve a compelling government interest:

Congress and the Federal Government, including the Trump administration, have a duty to constrain government actions that harm young people’s lives and deprive them of their fundamental constitutional rights to only those actions strictly necessary to achieve a compelling government interest.

SECTION 3. PROHIBITION ON INTERGENERATIONAL DISPARITY

(a) In general—

The United States should put itself on a trajectory consistent with reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide to less than 350 parts per million by 2100:

The United States should put itself on a trajectory consistent with reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide to less than 350 parts per million by 2100.