,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #gi #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #i ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #f1 #bjai,received2 read the first time ,may #g1 #bjai,read the second time and placed on the calendar ,,an ,,act ,to direct the ,president to develop a plan for the ,united ,states to meet its nationally determined contribution under the ,paris ,agreement1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,climate ,action ,now ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,in ,paris1 on ,december #ab1 #bjae1 parties to the ,united ,nations ,framework ,convention on ,climate ,change 7,,unfccc7 reached a landmark agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future4 7#b7 ,the ,paris ,agreement's central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise well below #b degrees ,celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to #a4e degrees ,celsius4 7#c7 ,the ,paris ,agreement specifies the need for a strong global response to climate change and when taking action1 the need to respect1 promote1 and safeguard the right to health now and for future generations4 7#d7 ,the ,paris ,agreement acknowledges that all ,parties should1 when taking action to address climate change1 respect1 promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights1 the right to health1 the rights of indigenous peoples1 local communities1 migrants1 children1 persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable situations and the right to development1 as well as gender equality1 empowerment of women and intergenerational equity4 7#e7 ,the ,paris ,agreement notes the importance of climate justice when mitigating and adapting to climate change and recognizes the need for an effective and progressive response to the urgent threat of climate change4 7#f7 ,the ,paris ,agreement requires all parties to put forward their best efforts through nationally determined contributions 7,n,d,cs7 and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead4 7#g7 ,the ,paris ,agreement further requires each party to update its nationally determined contribution every #e years1 with each successive nationally determined contribution representing a progression beyond the previous nationally determined contribution1 and reflecting the party's highest possible ambition4 7#h7 ,the ,paris ,agreement recognizes that the ocean ecosystems covering more than #gj percent of the ,earth's surface have an integral role in climate balance4 ,seventy percent of nationally determined contributions under the ,paris ,agreement are ocean-inclusive1 and #ci ,paris ,agreement signatories are focused on the inclusion of ocean action in nationally determined contributions through the ,because the ,ocean ,initiative4 7#i7 ,the ,united ,states communicated its nationally determined contribution to achieve an economy-wide target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by #bf to #bh percent below its #bjje level in #bjbe and to make best efforts to reduce its emissions by #bh percent4 7#aj7 ,a number of existing laws1 regulations1 and other mandatory measures in the ,united ,states are relevant to achieving this target1 including the ,clean ,air ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #gdja et seq471 the ,energy ,policy ,act of #aiib 7,public ,law #ajb-dhf71 and the ,energy ,independence and ,security ,act of #bjjg 7,public ,law #aaj-adj74 7#aa7 ,essential in achieving this target is a thriving clean energy industry in the ,united ,states1 which currently employs over #ejj1jjj ,americans4 7#ab7 ,on ,june #a1 #bjag1 ,president ,trump announced his intention to withdraw the ,united ,states from the ,paris ,agreement1 which would leave the ,united ,states as the only ,,unfccc member state that is not a signatory to the ,paris ,agreement4 7#ac7 ,article #h of the ,paris ,agreement notes ,parties recognize the importance of averting1 minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change1 including extreme weather events and slow onset events1 and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage such as strong winds from hurricanes and tropical storms1 and flooding from storm surges and heavy rain1 that inflict losses on various sectors of the ,united ,states economy4 7#ad7 ,under the terms of the ,paris ,agreement1 the earliest possible effective withdrawal date by the ,united ,states is ,november #d1 #bjbj4 ,however1 the ,united ,states is still obligated to maintain certain commitments under the ,paris ,agreement1 such as continuing to report its emissions to the ,united ,nations4 7#ae7 ,the ,paris ,agreement further requires that parties should strengthen their cooperation on enhancing action on adaptation1 taking into account the ,cancun ,adaptation ,framework1 which includes measures to enhance understanding1 coordination and cooperation with regard to climate change induced displacement1 migration and planned relocation1 where appropriate1 at the national1 regional and international levels4 7#af7 ,article #h of the ,paris ,agreement states that ,parties recognize the importance of averting1 minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change1 including extreme weather events and slow onset events1 such as sea level rise1 saltwater intrusion1 and flooding4 7#ag7 ,the ,paris ,agreement is an example of multilateral1 international cooperation needed to overcome challenges facing the international community1 such as reducing emissions1 promoting economic growth1 and deploying clean energy technologies4 7#ah7 ,the ,paris ,agreement recognizes the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger1 and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the adverse impacts of climate change44 7#ai7 ,the ,paris ,agreement recognizes that adaptation is a global challenge faced by all with local1 subnational1 national1 regional and international dimensions1 and that it is a key component of and makes a contribution to the long-term global response to climate change to protect people1 livelihoods1 and ecosystems4 7#bj7 ,american leadership encouraged widespread international participation in the ,paris ,agreement4 7#ba7 ,american cities1 ,states1 and businesses are stepping up and pledging to meet the ,paris ,agreement goals in the wake of absent and uncertain ,united ,states ,federal leadership4 7#bb7 ,article #h of the ,paris ,agreement states that ,parties recognize the importance of averting1 minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change1 including extreme weather events and slow onset events such as drought conditions and water scarcity4 7#bc7 ,the ,paris ,agreement has driven innovation in developing cleaner1 more reliable1 and more affordable forms of energy1 demonstrating that addressing climate change and providing affordable energy to ,american consumers are not mutually exclusive4 ,the ,paris ,agreement encouraged the ,united ,states to develop a ,mid-,century ,strategy for ,deep ,decarbonization1 which was submitted on ,november #af1 #bjaf4 ,the ,mid-,century ,strategy for ,deep ,decarbonization stated that energy efficiency improvements enable the energy system to provide the services we need with fewer resources and emissions4 ,over the past several years1 the ,united ,states has demonstrated that programs and standards to improve the energy efficiency of buildings1 appliances and vehicles can cost-effectively cut carbon pollution and lower energy bills1 while maintaining significant support from ,u4,s4 industry and consumers44 7#bd7 ,in its nationally determined contribution1 the ,united ,states notes that pursuant to ,executive ,order ,no4 #acfic 7#bjae71 the ,federal ,government has committed to reduce emissions #dj percent below #bjje levels by #bjbe1 and reaffirmed the ,department of ,defense's goal to procure renewable energy across military installations and operations to drive national greenhouse gas reductions and support preparations for the impacts of climate change4 7#be7 ,article #aj of the ,paris ,agreement states that ,parties1 noting the importance of technology for the implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions under this ,agreement and recognizing existing technology deployment and dissemination efforts1 shall strengthen cooperative action on technology development and transfer44 #c4 ,prohibition on use of funds to advance the withdrawal of the ,united ,states from the ,paris ,agreement ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 no funds are authorized to be appropriated1 obligated1 or expended to take any action to advance the withdrawal of the ,united ,states from the ,paris ,agreement4 #d4 ,plan for the ,united ,states to meet its nationally determined contribution under the ,paris ,agreement 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president shall develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make available to the public a plan for the ,united ,states to meet its nationally determined contribution under the ,paris ,agreement that describes-- 7#a7 how the ,united ,states will achieve an economy-wide target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by #bf to #bh percent below its #bjje level by #bjbe2 7#b7 how the ,united ,states will use the ,paris ,agreement's transparency provisions to confirm that other parties to the ,agreement with major economies are fulfilling their announced contributions to the ,agreement2 7#c7 how the ,united ,states may use multilateral and bilateral diplomatic tools1 in addition to the expert committee established under ,article #ae of the ,paris ,agreement1 to encourage and assist other parties to the ,agreement to fulfill their announced contributions2 7#d7 how the ,paris ,agreement's loss and damage provisions would affect infrastructure resiliency in the ,united ,states2 and 7#e7 how the plan takes into consideration populations1 regions1 industries1 and constituencies that could be affected by nationally determined contribution under the ,paris ,agreement1 and the failure to meet such contribution1 including but not limited to-- 7,a7 ,american jobs1 wage1 and pay2 7,b7 the cost of energy1 such as electricity and gasoline1 for consumers2 and 7,c7 the ability to develop and deploy new1 innovative1 domestically-produced technologies4 7b7 ,updates to plan ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make available to the public an updated plan under subsection 7a74 7c7 ,education and public awareness 7#a7 ,in general ,the plan under this section shall be consistent with ,article #ab of the ,paris ,agreement1 which states ,parties shall cooperate in taking measures1 as appropriate1 to enhance climate change education1 training1 public awareness1 public participation and public access to information1 recognizing the importance of these steps with respect to enhancing actions under this ,agreement44 7#b7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act may be construed to require or prohibit the ,president from including in the plan under this section1 consistent with the prohibition described in section #dch of the ,general ,education ,provisions ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #abcb;a71 recommendations to support ,state and local educational agencies1 in integrating instruction on human-caused climate change and the societal1 environmental1 and economic effects of such climate change into curricula taught in elementary and secondary schools under the control of such ,state and local educational agencies1 in order to meet the goals and ambitions of the ,paris ,agreement to ensure climate education and awareness in schools4 7d7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works1 and the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate4 7e7 ,state and local actions ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed to prohibit ,states and cities from taking more ambitious actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions than the actions described in the plan developed and updated under this section4 7f7 ,public comment ,the ,president shall-- 7#a7 in making the plan under subsection 7a71 and updates under subsection 7b71 available to the public1 and before submitting such plan and updates to the appropriate congressional committees-- 7,a7 publish the plan or update1 as applicable1 in the ,federal ,register2 and 7,b7 provide a period of at least #ij days for public comment2 and 7#b7 after each such period for public comment1 continue to make the proposed plan or update1 as well as the comments received1 available to the public on regulations4gov 7or any successor website74 7g7 ,technology neutral ,nothing in this ,act may be construed to require or prohibit the inclusion of a specific energy technology or technologies in the plan required by this section4 7h7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section may be construed to require or prohibit the ,president from including or considering voluntary agricultural practices to be undertaken by farmers and ranchers1 thereby contributing to the development of soil organic matter1 increasing carbon sequestration1 reducing greenhouse gas emissions1 and contributing to meeting the goals and ambitions of the ,paris ,agreement4 #e4 ,report ,not later than #f months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president shall produce a report that examines the effect of the ,paris ,agreement on clean energy job development in rural communities4 #f4 ,report ,not later than #f months after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president shall enter into a contract with the ,national ,academy of ,sciences to produce a report that examines the potential impacts of a withdrawal by the ,united ,states from the ,paris ,agreement on the global economic competitiveness of the ,united ,states economy and on workers in the ,united ,states4 #g4 ,paris ,agreement defined ,in this ,act1 the term ,paris ,agreement means the decision by the ,united ,nations ,framework ,convention on ,climate ,change's #bast ,conference of ,parties in ,paris1 ,france1 adopted ,december #ab1 #bjae4 #h4 ,study and report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall complete a study and submit a report to the ,congress on the impact of the plan under subsection 7a7 on the ,united ,states territories1 including the potential positive and negative impacts on their economies1 taking into consideration their unique energy needs and systems and the climate change vulnerabilities faced by communities in these jurisdictions4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,may #b1 #bjai4;,cheryl ,l4 ,johnson1,clerk ,may #g1 #bjai,read the second time and placed on the calendar