This is a Senate resolution that officially recognizes the serious health dangers of ground-level ozone pollution, commonly known as smog. The resolution acknowledges that smog exposure causes asthma attacks, lung disease, heart problems, nervous system issues, and reproductive problems—with children being especially vulnerable. According to the resolution, long-term smog exposure contributed to about 14,000 deaths in the United States in 2021, a rate higher than other wealthy countries. The resolution also notes that smog damages agriculture, reducing crop yields by millions of metric tons annually.

The resolution specifically highlights methane pollution's role in creating smog. Methane, the main component of natural gas, reacts with other pollutants in the air to form smog, particularly affecting central states and making it harder for regions to meet federal air quality standards. The resolution references EPA methane standards set in 2024 that were projected to cut methane pollution by 79 percent over 15 years. The resolution expresses the Senate's view that the EPA should continue supporting these methane standards to reduce smog pollution, even as the current administration reconsiders them.