[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 131 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 405
105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 131

                          [Report No. 105-209]


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 1998

   Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

                             June 10, 1998

   Reported by Mr. McCain, with an amendment and an amendment to the 
                                preamble
[Strike the preamble and all after the resolving clause and insert the 
                        parts printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
     Acknowledging 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean and 
       expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the ocean.

<DELETED>Whereas the ocean, which comprises nearly three-quarters of the Earth's 
        surface, sustains a large part of the Earth's biodiversity, provides an 
        important source of food, and interacts with and affects global weather 
        and climate;
Whereas the ocean is critical to national security, is the common means of 
        transportation among coastal nations, and carries 95 percent of the 
        United States foreign trade;
Whereas the ocean and sea floor contain vast energy and mineral resources that 
        are critical to the economy of the United States and the world;
Whereas ocean resources are limited and susceptible to change as a direct and 
        indirect result of human activities, and such changes can impact the 
        ability of the ocean to provide the benefits upon which the Nation 
        depends;
Whereas the vast majority of the deep ocean is unexplored and unknown, and the 
        ocean is truly the last frontier on Earth for science and civilization;
Whereas there exists significant promise for the development of new ocean 
        technologies for stewardship of ocean resources that will contribute to 
        the economy through business and manufacturing innovations and the 
        creation of new jobs;
Whereas it has been 30 years since the Commission on Marine Science, 
        Engineering, and Resources (popularly known as the Stratton Commission) 
        met to examine the state of the United States ocean policy and issued 
        recommendations that led to the present Federal structure for 
        oceanography and marine resource management; and
Whereas 1998 has been declared the International Year of the Ocean, and in order 
        to observe such celebration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration and other Federal agencies, in cooperation with 
        organizations concerned with ocean science and marine resources, have 
        resolved to promote exploration, utilization, conservation, and public 
        awareness of the ocean: Now, therefore, be it
    </DELETED>Whereas the ocean, which comprises nearly three quarters 
            of the Earth's surface, sustains a large part of the 
            Earth's biodiversity, provides an important source of food, 
            and interacts with and affects global weather and climate;
    Whereas the ocean is critical to national security, is the common 
            means of transportation among coastal nations, and carries 
            95 percent of the United States foreign trade;
    Whereas the ocean and sea floor contain vast energy and mineral 
            resources that are critical to the economy of the United 
            States and the world;
    Whereas ocean resources are limited and susceptible to change as a 
            direct and indirect result of human activities, and such 
            changes can impact the ability of the ocean to provide the 
            benefits upon which the Nation depends;
    Whereas the vast majority of the deep ocean is unexplored and 
            unknown, and the ocean is truly the last frontier on Earth 
            for science and civilization;
    Whereas there exists significant promise for the development of new 
            ocean technologies for stewardship of ocean resources that 
            will contribute to the economy through business and 
            manufacturing innovations and the creation of new jobs;
    Whereas any nation's use or misuse of ocean resources has effects 
            far beyond that nation's borders;
    Whereas it has been 30 years since the Commission on Marine 
            Science, Engineering, and Resources (popularly known as the 
            Stratton Commission) met to examine the state of United 
            States ocean policy and issued recommendations that led to 
            the present Federal structure for oceanography and marine 
            resources management;
    Whereas recent public opinion polls indicate that a large majority 
            of Americans consider the condition of the oceans to be 
            important, and that a large majority rate the overall 
            health of the oceans negatively; and
    Whereas the United Nations has declared 1998 to be the 
            International Year of the Ocean, and in order to observe 
            this occasion, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
            Administration and other Federal agencies, in cooperation 
            with organizations concerned with ocean science and marine 
            resources, have resolved to promote exploration, 
            utilization, conservation, and public awareness of the 
            ocean: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
<DELETED>That it is the sense of the Congress that--
        <DELETED>    (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the 
        economic future, environmental quality, and national security 
        of the United States;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the United States has a responsibility to 
        exercise and promote comprehensive stewardship of the ocean and 
        the living marine resources it contains; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Federal agencies are encouraged to take 
        advantage of the United States and international focus on the 
        oceans in 1998, to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) review United States oceanography and 
                marine resource management policies and 
                programs;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) identify opportunities to streamline, 
                better direct, and increase interagency cooperation in 
                oceanographic research and marine resource management 
                policies and programs; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) develop scientific, educational, and 
                resource management programs which will advance the 
                exploration of the ocean and the sustainable use of 
                ocean resources.</DELETED>
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the economic 
        future, environmental quality, and national security of the 
        United States;
            (2) the United States has a responsibility to exercise and 
        promote comprehensive stewardship of the ocean and the living 
        marine resources it contains; and
            (3) Federal agencies are encouraged to take advantage of 
        the International Year of the Ocean in 1998, to--
                    (A) review United States oceanography and marine 
                resource management policies and programs;
                    (B) identify opportunities to streamline, better 
                direct, and increase interagency cooperation in 
                oceanographic research and marine resource management 
                policies and programs;
                    (C) identify opportunities to further cooperation 
                between the United States and other nations to enhance 
                oceanographic research and exploration, and to 
                strengthen international marine resource conservation 
                policies and programs;
                    (D) in cooperation with academic institutions, non-
                governmental organizations, and industry develop 
                scientific, educational, and resource management 
                programs which will advance the exploration of the 
                ocean, the conservation of marine habitats and species, 
                and the sustainable use of ocean resources; and
                    (E) encourage participation in State, local, and 
                private initiatives and programs that use education and 
                the arts to increase public awareness of the ocean and 
                the many benefits that it provides, and to foster 
                understanding of the need to conserve and sustainably 
                manage ocean resources.




                                                       Calendar No. 405

105th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                            H. CON. RES. 131

                          [Report No. 105-209]

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

     Acknowledging 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean and 
          expressing the sense of Congress regarding the ocean

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 10, 1998

      Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble