[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 300 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 300


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2008

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Recognizing the necessity for the United States to maintain its 
 significant leadership role in improving the health and promoting the 
      resiliency of coral reef ecosystems, and for other purposes.

Whereas coral reef ecosystems are among the world's most biologically diverse 
        and productive marine habitats, and are often described as the tropical 
        rain forest of the oceans;
Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems 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, Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, the 
        Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the 
        Northern Mariana Islands;
Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems function as natural, regenerating coastal 
        barriers, protecting shorelines and coastal areas from high waves, storm 
        surges, and accompanying losses of human life and property;
Whereas the coral reef research community has long established that coral reefs 
        are subject to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic threats, 
        including climate change;
Whereas the health of coral reef ecosystems is at serious risk due to a variety 
        of human activities, both local and global;
Whereas protecting and conserving coral reef ecosystems is an urgent issue, but 
        they may be preserved if we act now;
Whereas changing climate is potentially one of the most significant long-term 
        influences on the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems, 
        including the devastating effects of ocean acidification and rising 
        ocean temperatures;
Whereas a wide variety of destructive fishing practices, including the use of 
        cyanide, other poisons, surfactants, and explosives, are contributing to 
        the global decline of coral reef ecosystems;
Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect national coral reef 
        resources through the designation and management of several marine 
        protected areas located in both the Pacific and Caribbean, through 
        building local management capacity, and by supporting effective 
        management and sound research to preserve, sustain, and restore valuable 
        coral reef ecosystems;
Whereas our Nation's coral reef ecosystems provide benefit and opportunity to 
        all, and conservation of these important resources requires the 
        coordinated efforts of the many Federal agencies and State, territory, 
        and commonwealth partners that comprise the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force 
        and our many nongovernmental, international, and academic partners;
Whereas the United States, acting through its agencies, has established itself 
        as a global leader in coral reef ecosystem stewardship by launching and 
        remaining an active and engaged participant in the International Coral 
        Reef Initiative, and by maintaining professional networks for the 
        purposes of sharing knowledge and information on coral reef ecosystems, 
        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 body of coral reef knowledge; 
        and
Whereas 2008 has been declared the ``International Year of the Reef'' by the 
        coral reef research community and over 40 national and international 
        coral reef research, conservation, and academic organizations: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress recognizes the necessity for the United States to 
maintain its significant leadership role in improving the health and 
promoting the resiliency of coral reef ecosystems, by--
            (1) strengthening awareness about ecological, economic, 
        social, and cultural values of coral reefs and associated 
        ecosystems;
            (2) improving understanding of the critical threats to 
        coral reefs and generating both practical and innovative 
        solutions to reduce those threats; and
            (3) initiating the prompt development and implementation of 
        effective management strategies for the conservation and 
        sustainable use of those ecosystems.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2008.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.