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Dear Friends,
Today, nearly 50 members of Congress and over 165 nonprofit organizations have expressed their support for and solidarity with the Juliana 21 in three powerful pleas to President Biden and the U.S. Department of Justice!
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Kelsey Juliana and several of her co-plaintiffs, flanked by Members of Congress supporting their case in 2019 (Photo by Robin Loznak)
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Pleas from the Senate and House of Representatives to President Biden
Led by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY) of the House Committee on the Judiciary, two letters were sent from 9 Senators and 39 Representatives today to President Biden, making crystal clear the lawmakers’ support for the fundamental rights of children to a safe climate and the Juliana v. United States youth plaintiffs.
Senators in their letter noted that this is an opportunity for the “federal government to align itself with its expressed commitment to address climate change on behalf of our youngest citizens and future generations,” and they urged President Biden “to carefully review any appropriate programmatic and executive options that he has available across his Administration to make progress…” The Representatives in their letter strongly encouraged the defendant agencies within the Biden Administration and the Department of Justice to work with the Juliana youth to fulfill their commitment to “listen to science” and act with a “Government-wide approach” to the climate crisis. The full text of Sen. Merkley’s letter is here and Rep. Jones’ letter is here.
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Pleas from 167 Leading Organizations to the Department of Justice
Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org and Third Act, and Jerome Foster II, youth climate activist, executive director of OneMillionofUs and the youngest member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, delivered a separate letter today directly to the Department of Justice. The letter, sent on behalf of 167 leading climate, social justice, and advocacy organizations, expressed solidarity with the Juliana plaintiffs and urged the DOJ “to reverse its legal position in the Juliana case, pursue settlement discussions in good faith, and if those discussions do not achieve a resolution, allow the youth plaintiffs their day in court.” (You can read the full letter from organizations to the Department of Justice on our website here.)
Here is a brief video statement from Bill McKibben (click to open):
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And here is Jerome Foster II sharing why he signed and co-delivered this letter to the DOJ (click to open):
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What Do These Letters Mean for Juliana v. U.S.?
These letters, submitted to the President and Department of Justice by federal legislators and influential organizations, demonstrate - once again - the expansive breadth and depth of support for the Juliana 21 and their constitutional claims. In anticipation of a forthcoming ruling from the U.S. District Court, which could advance the Juliana case to trial where the youths’ evidence would finally be heard, many of these supporters are making public their belief that the Biden administration should clear the runway for that evidence and trial.
These lawmakers know better than anyone how difficult, if not impossible, it will be to pass meaningful legislation to address the climate crisis, particularly in today’s polarized Congress. Our allies in the Senate and the House know that the Biden Administration has just expressed its opposition to the recently recognized right to a “safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment” by the U.N. Human Rights Council. These allies know that the most promising and durable solution to the climate crisis begins with the constitutional declarations sought in Juliana v. U.S., and that securing a healthy and safe future for all youth must be constitutionally mandated. And our friends in climate organizations from coast to coast know that the declaration sought in Juliana v. U.S. that the national fossil fuel energy system is unconstitutional is the crucial cornerstone for all of our collective efforts to protect our children, our communities, our cultures, and our planet.
We hope today’s letters from Congress and climate leaders will encourage President Biden and his Department of Justice to finally end their opposition to Juliana v. U.S. going to trial. Please make a donation today to support the efforts necessary to encourage the administration to allow the youths’ evidence to come forth, to bring that constitutional evidence forward at trial, and soon to finally secure the constitutional right to a safe climate for all. We are immensely grateful for the leadership and support of these allies from across our nation who stand with youth in pursuit of climate justice for all young Americans, and we are deeply grateful for your crucial partnership in support of these collective efforts. Thank you all!
Onward,
The Team at Our Children’s Trust
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