Dozens of members of Congress asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case filed by young people against fossil fuel production
Mike McInally, January 15, 2025, Oregon Capital Chronicle,
More than 40 members of Congress, including Oregon Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to breathe new life into a climate lawsuit filed nearly a decade ago by 21 young Americans, including 11 Oregonians.
Merkley and Wyden are among the Democrats and one independent, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the lawsuit, Juliana v. United States. The lawsuit argues that the federal government’s continued support for fossil fuel production and failure to mitigate the worst effects of climate change violate the youths’ right to a livable environment.
“The young people — including Oregonians — fighting for their right to a healthy planet and livable future have my full support,” Merkley said in an emailed statement. “That’s why I am leading my congressional colleagues in an amicus brief in support of this momentous case.”
