Herb Kohl: “today I rise to recognize one of our most prominent Wisconsinites, Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day. On April…”

“today I rise to recognize one of our most prominent Wisconsinites, Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day. On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans paused for a day to celebrate our planet and press for the urgent actions needed to preserve and protect it. As we observe this 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day, we once again reflect on the necessity of a clean and safe environment, celebrate the successes of the last four decades, and consider the long way we still must go to achieve the goals laid out that day. In Wisconsin, we also stop to remember and honor one of our most prominent citizens. Earth Day was born out of the passion of Gaylord Nelson. His life was one of service from the Pacific theater during World War II, to the State House as a State Senator and Governor, and to Washington, DC where he served Wisconsin as a U.S. Senator for nearly 20 years. When Gaylord came to Washington, he did so with a mission to bring environmental causes to the forefront of the national debate. He believed that the cause of environmentalism needed as much attention as national defense.”