[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1308 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1308

     Supporting the goals and ideals of the International Year of 
                 Biodiversity, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 29, 2010

  Ms. Bordallo (for herself, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mrs. Christensen, Mrs. 
 Capps, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Pierluisi, and 
 Mr. Tanner) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
  Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Supporting the goals and ideals of the International Year of 
                 Biodiversity, and for other purposes.

Whereas ``biodiversity'' is the term commonly used by scientists to describe the 
        variety of plant and animal life on Earth, the places they inhabit, and 
        the interactions between them;
Whereas 1,750,000 species of plants and animals on Earth have been identified, 
        and ecologists conservatively estimate that 13,000,000 species may 
        exist;
Whereas the biodiversity of species, genes, and habitats helps increase the 
        capability of Earth's terrestrial and marine ecosystems to be resilient 
        in the face of a dynamic environment;
Whereas human well-being is inextricably linked with biodiversity, which 
        provides essential ecological goods and services including clean water, 
        clean air, food production, pest control, energy creation, 
        pharmaceuticals and medicinal goods, recreation, and cultural identity;
Whereas nearly a sixth of the world's human population depends on terrestrial or 
        marine protected areas for a significant percent of their livelihoods 
        and 70 percent of the world's poorest people live in rural areas 
        dependent directly on biodiversity for their survival and well-being;
Whereas over 1,000,000,000 people live in poverty in urban areas and depend on 
        the ecosystem goods and services imported from areas of biodiversity;
Whereas many small island nations and territories are dependent on local 
        biodiversity, which is particularly vulnerable to ocean warming, ocean 
        acidification, and sea level rise;
Whereas genetic biodiversity is important for global food security through 
        harvested wildlife, fish, and plants, crops, livestock, and aquaculture 
        species that can adapt to change;
Whereas scientists estimate that 60 percent of ecosystem services, which are 
        supported by biodiversity, have been degraded globally in the last 50 
        years with a cost of $500,000,000,000 for lost ecological services on 
        land in the last ten years alone;
Whereas the greatest threats to biodiversity are habitat loss through land 
        conversion and fragmentation, introduction of invasive species, 
        exploitation of natural resources, and pollution;
Whereas the present rate of human-caused species extinction is estimated by 
        paleontologists to be 1,000 times more rapid than the natural rate of 
        extinction typical of Earth's long-term geologic history, and the 
        majority of recorded species extinctions over the last 500 years have 
        occurred on islands;
Whereas of the world's original habitats we have lost 35 percent of mangroves, 
        40 percent of forests, 50 percent of wetlands, and 20 percent of coral 
        reefs globally due to human actions, with 70 percent of the remaining 
        coral reefs threatened;
Whereas the tropical South Pacific contains the highest proportion of threatened 
        species in the world with an estimated 75 percent of total bird and 
        mammal extinctions having occurred in that region;
Whereas the United States has had a longstanding commitment to the preservation 
        and conservation of the Earth's biodiversity, as demonstrated through 
        the passage and implementation of numerous laws, including the Migratory 
        Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), the Marine Mammal Protection 
        Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
        (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the North American Wetlands Conservation Act 
        (16 U.S.C. 4401 et seq.), various Acts providing for the conservation of 
        particular species (16 U.S.C. 4201 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 4261 et seq., 16 
        U.S.C. 5301 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., and 16 U.S.C. 6601 et 
        seq.), the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6101 
        et seq.), the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et 
        seq.), and other statutes;
Whereas the United States has demonstrated international leadership to protect 
        and preserve biodiversity through its participation and leadership under 
        a variety of global and regional conventions, treaties, and agreements 
        that protect biodiversity, including the Convention on International 
        Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Convention on 
        Wetlands of International Importance, the North American Waterfowl 
        Management Plan, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, and 
        other international treaties, conventions, and accords; and
Whereas the United Nations has declared 2010 as the International Year of 
        Biodiversity as a celebration of life on Earth and of the value of 
        biodiversity in our lives: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of the International Year 
        of Biodiversity, as it reinforces the United States' interests 
        in protecting and preserving threatened and endangered species 
        under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
        seq.);
            (2) acknowledges the importance of biodiversity to human 
        well-being, the environment, and the ecosystems and wildlife 
        resources therein;
            (3) recognizes the persistent threats that undermine 
        biodiversity, require the United States to remain diligent in 
        its participation under numerous regional, national, and 
        international conservation strategies, plans, and agreements, 
        and encourages complementary actions on the State and local 
        levels to address these threats through wildlife and wildlife 
        habitat conservation strategies, plans, and agreements;
            (4) reaffirms the United States commitment to the 
        preservation of global biodiversity, especially through its 
        leadership and participation under the Convention on 
        International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 
        Flora; and
            (5) applauds the work of governmental and nongovernmental 
        conservation and environmental organizations working to promote 
        public awareness concerning the need to preserve, conserve, and 
        protect wildlife and wildlife habitats that comprise 
        biodiversity.
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