[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 202 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 202

 Expressing the sense of Congress in support of a National Oceans Week.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 3, 2003

 Mr. Greenwood (for himself, Mr. Farr, Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, and 
  Mr. Allen) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
                 referred to the Committee on Resources

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress in support of a National Oceans Week.

Whereas 95 percent of the deep ocean is unexplored and unknown, and is truly the 
        last frontier on Earth for science and civilization;
Whereas the ocean comprises nearly \3/4\ of the Earth's surface and sustains 80 
        percent of all life on Earth;
Whereas the oceans play a critical role in the global water cycle, the carbon 
        cycle, and in regulating climate, and over 90 percent of the oxygen in 
        the Earth's atmosphere, essential to life on Earth, comes from the 
        world's oceans and rivers;
Whereas the oceans are an important source of food, provide a wealth of other 
        natural products, and the oceans and sea floor contain vast energy and 
        mineral resources that are critical to the economy of the United States 
        and the world;
Whereas the United States has more than 95,000 miles of coastline and more than 
        50 percent of the population of the United States lives within 50 miles 
        of the ocean or the Great Lakes;
Whereas coastal areas are regions of remarkably high biological productivity, 
        are of considerable importance for a variety of recreational and 
        commercial activities, and provide a vital means of transportation;
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 rich biodiversity of marine organisms provides society with an 
        essential biomedical resource, a promising source of novel compounds 
        with therapeutic potential, and a potentially important contribution to 
        the national economy;
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, in its 2000 final report entitled ``Discovering Earth's Final Frontier: 
        A United States Strategy for Ocean Exploration'', the President's Panel 
        on Ocean Exploration recommended to the President and to Congress a 10-
        year program to launch the first national plan for ocean exploration;
Whereas the Oceans Act of 2000 passed by Congress authorized the establishment 
        of the Commission on Ocean Policy and directed it to conduct a 
        comprehensive review of present and future ocean programs and activities 
        and provide comprehensive ocean policy recommendations to the Congress 
        and the President by 2003; and
Whereas the oceans are vital to national security and the national economy, and 
        the Nation's greatest era of ocean exploration and discovery still lies 
        ahead: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
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 and understanding of the 
        ocean and the living marine resources it contains; and
            (3) the President should issue a proclamation calling upon 
        the people of the United States to observe a National Oceans 
        Week with appropriate recognition, programs, ceremonies, and 
        activities to further ocean literacy, education, and 
        exploration.
                                 <all>