[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 8 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 8

 Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the significance of 
     maintaining the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 9, 1997

 Mr. Saxton (for himself and Mr. Abercrombie) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the significance of 
     maintaining the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems.

Whereas coral reefs are among the world's most biologically diverse and 
        productive marine habitats, often described as the tropical rain forests 
        of the oceans;
Whereas healthy coral reefs provide the basis for subsistence, commercial 
        fisheries, and coastal and marine tourism and are of vital economic 
        importance to coastal States and territories of the United States 
        including Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 
        and American Samoa;
Whereas healthy coral reefs function as natural, regenerating coastal barriers, 
        protecting shorelines and coastal areas from high waves and storm 
        surges;
Whereas the scientific community has long established that coral reefs are 
        subject to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic threats;
Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect national coral reef 
        resources through the designation and management of several underwater 
        national parks (known as National Marine Sanctuaries), containing reefs 
        of the Flower Garden Banks in the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys in 
        south Florida, and offshore Hawaii and American Samoa;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has established 
        itself as a global leader in coral reef stewardship by maintaining 
        professional networks for the purposes of sharing knowledge and 
        information on coral reefs, furnishing near real-time data collected at 
        coral reef sites, providing a repository for historical data relating to 
        coral reefs, and making substantial contributions to the general fund of 
        coral reef knowledge; and
Whereas 1997 has been declared the ``International Year of the Reef'' by the 
        coral reef research community and over 40 national and international 
        scientific, conservation, and academic organizations: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress to recognize the significance of 
maintaining the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems, by--
            (1) promoting comprehensive stewardship for coral reef 
        ecosystems;
            (2) encouraging research and education on coral reef 
        ecosystems; and
            (3) improving the coordination of coral reef efforts and 
        activities which take place within Federal agencies, academic 
        institutions, nongovernmental organizations and industry.
                                 <all>