North Cook News

WASHINGTON – On June 2, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), a Chief Deputy Whip and Ranking Member of the Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, applauds the courageous young Americans in the landmark children’s constitutional climate case, Juliana v. United States. On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken ruled that the youth plaintiffs can amend their complaint and have their evidence heard in open court.

The 21 youth plaintiffs, including 11 Black, Brown and Indigenous youth, now ages 15 to 26 years old, have waited almost eight years after facing incessant and unprecedented efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to delay or dismiss their case. The Juliana case was one of the most significant targets of the Trump administration’s “shadow docket.” Now, barring continued attempts by the DOJ to delay the case, the youth will finally be able to move forward to trial on the question of whether the federal government’s fossil fuel-based energy system, and resulting climate destabilization, is unconstitutional.

“Twenty-one youth have waited almost eight years to get a ruling on their lawsuit demanding their constitutional right to a safe climate be protected. And yesterday, we welcomed news that they are finally being granted their right to go to trial,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “These young people have taken on incredible responsibility to protect our environment. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to support them as they continue their fight to protect the right of all to a safe and habitable climate. Our children and grandchildren should not have to fear for the future of their environment and our world as we know it.”

“It is a foundational doctrine that when government conduct catastrophically harms American citizens, the judiciary is constitutionally required to perform its independent role and determine whether the challenged conduct, not exclusively committed to any branch by the Constitution, is unconstitutional,” said Judge Aiken.

“I spent most of my life living on a barrier island impacted by the climate crisis and nearly half of my life fighting for climate justice as a plaintiff in this lawsuit. I’m only 15 years old and I have lived through three major hurricanes and have been evacuated from my home multiple times. I’ve also experienced years of delay, waiting for my right to be heard in court, due to the actions of our own DOJ,” said the youngest plaintiff in the Juliana case, 15-year-old Floridian Levi Draheim. “I’m excited that our case is finally moving forward and grateful that members of Congress continue to support children’s fundamental rights for youth, like me and my little sister.”

“These young people have a right to access their courts and, after several long years, finally have their evidence of climate harm caused by their own government–and how to stop it–heard in open court,” said Julia Olson, lead counsel for the youth plaintiffs. “Attorney General Garland should treat this like the urgent constitutional case that it is by litigating the case on its merits and presenting their arguments in the light of day at trial, rather than once again seeking to push this case into the dark corners of the shadow docket.”

Last Congress, Congresswoman Schakowsky reintroduced a concurrent resolution seeking to protect the fundamental rights of the nation's children given on June 2 climate crisis.

Specifically, the Children's Fundamental Rights and Climate Recovery Resolution:

• Recognizes that the current climate crisis disproportionately affects the health, economic opportunity, and fundamental rights of children.
• Demands that the United States develop a national, comprehensive, science-based, and just climate recovery plan to meet necessary emissions reduction targets.
• Supports the principles underpinning Juliana v. United States, the landmark constitutional climate lawsuit brought by 21 young Americans, and youth climate organization Earth Guardians, who are suing the executive branch of the federal government for creating a national energy system that causes climate change.

Original source can be found here.