Dear Friends,

As we look forward to Earth Day, some of the young Americans we represent and support will be joined by youth across our nation this week to meet virtually with offices of the U.S. Congress and ask them to support their efforts to protect their constitutional rights to a safe climate system. They will also share their stories about the devastating impacts they have experienced from the climate crisis and the impact the climate emergency will have on their futures.

Our Children’s Trust is co-hosting these virtual meeting days with 350.org and the National Children’s Campaign in support of the Children’s Fundamental Rights and Climate Recovery Resolution, which will be reintroduced in Congress on Earth Day, April 22nd. This forthcoming concurrent congressional resolution, sponsored by Senator Merkley in the Senate and Representatives Schakowsky, Jayapal and Rush in the House, supports the principles underpinning Juliana v. United States by recognizing the fundamental rights of children, the disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis on youth, and the need for national climate recovery planning. 

Congressional support of Juliana v. U.S. is critical to the protection of all present and future generations. As you may know, on March 9, 2021, Our Children’s Trust attorneys filed a Motion to Amend the complaint of the 21 Juliana youth plaintiffs in the U.S. District Court, seeking to proceed to trial and secure declaratory relief that the U.S. national energy system is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs can still seek review by the U.S. Supreme Court of the January 2020 decision of the Ninth Circuit, if the U.S. District Court does not grant their Motion to Amend, and they are also requesting that the Biden-Harris administration and the Department of Justice agree to meet with them and their attorneys to discuss resolution of their claims so as to protect their rights and the rights of all children to come. 

As we pursue these judicial avenues, this concurrent congressional resolution will demonstrate influential support for the youths’ positions in Juliana v. U.S. Originally introduced in September 2020 with the support of 63 cosponsors and 54 endorsers, we are aiming to secure even more support in this new Congress...and you can help!

Join us and take action today! We invite you to show your support of these brave youth plaintiffs and join our Congress4Juliana campaign. Visit Congress4Juliana today to call, text, or email your legislators (we’ve provided easy tools for you to use on our site!), urging them to cosponsor the resolution that will be reintroduced next week on Earth Day and stand in solidarity with the plaintiffs. You can also help spread the word about the Juliana case and this important resolution by posting to your social media using content from our online social media toolkit.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our youth plaintiffs and their right to a safe climate! Your voice and support are more important now than ever before.

The Team at Our Children’s Trust