[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 479 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 479

     Encouraging observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week with 
       appropriate events and activities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 9, 2015

  Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Kind, Mr. 
LoBiondo, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Farr, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. McCollum, 
 Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Honda, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Larsen of 
    Washington, Mr. Israel, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. 
 Schakowsky, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Clawson of Florida, Mr. Walz, Mr. Pocan, 
 Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. Heck of Washington, Mr. 
 Perlmutter, and Mr. Costello of Pennsylvania) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Encouraging observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week with 
       appropriate events and activities, and for other purposes.

Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established the first national 
        wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in Florida;
Whereas, in 2015, the National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the 
        United States Fish and Wildlife Service, is the premier system of lands 
        and waters to conserve wildlife in the world, and has grown to 
        approximately 150,000,000 acres, 563 national wildlife refuges, and 38 
        wetland management districts in every State and territory of the United 
        States;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational and tourism 
        destinations in communities across the United States, and these 
        protected lands offer a variety of recreational opportunities, including 
        6 wildlife-dependent uses that the National Wildlife Refuge System 
        manages: hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, 
        environmental education, and interpretation;
Whereas, in 2015, 336 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System have hunting 
        programs and 275 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System have 
        fishing programs, averaging approximately 2,500,000 hunting visits and 
        nearly 7,000,000 fishing visits each year;
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experienced nearly 30,000,000 
        wildlife observation visits during fiscal year 2014;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local businesses and gateway 
        communities;
Whereas for every $1 appropriated, national wildlife refuges generate nearly $5 
        in economic activity;
Whereas visitation to the National Wildlife Refuge System increased by nearly 27 
        percent from 2005 to 2014 and experiences over 47,000,000 visits each 
        year, which generated more than $2,400,000,000 and more than 35,000 jobs 
        in local economies during fiscal year 2011;
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses every kind of ecosystem 
        in the United States, including temperate, tropical, and boreal forests, 
        and wetlands, deserts, grasslands, arctic tundras, and remote islands, 
        and spans 12 time zones from the United States Virgin Islands to Guam;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 species of birds, 
        220 species of mammals, 250 species of reptiles and amphibians, and more 
        than 1,000 species of fish;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal lands that foster 
        production, migration, and wintering habitat for waterfowl;
Whereas, since 1934, the sale of the Federal Duck Stamp to outdoor enthusiasts 
        has generated more than $850,000,000 in funds, which has enabled the 
        purchase or lease of more than 5,700,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl 
        and numerous other species in the National Wildlife Refuge System;
Whereas the recovery of 386 threatened species and endangered species is 
        supported on refuge lands;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation for larger 
        landscapes and resources for other agencies of the Federal Government 
        and State governments, private landowners, and organizations in their 
        efforts to secure the wildlife heritage of the United States;
Whereas nearly 36,000 volunteers and approximately 200 national wildlife refuge 
        ``Friends'' organizations contribute more than 1,400,000 hours to 
        national wildlife refuges annually, the equivalent of nearly 700 full-
        time employees, and provide an important link to local communities;
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important opportunity for children 
        to discover and gain a greater appreciation for the natural world;
Whereas because there are national wildlife refuges located in several urban and 
        suburban areas and at least one refuge located within an hour drive of 
        every metropolitan area in the United States, national wildlife refuges 
        employ, educate, and engage young people from all backgrounds in 
        exploring, connecting with, and preserving the natural heritage of the 
        United States;
Whereas, since 1995, refuges across the United States have held festivals, 
        educational programs, guided tours, and other events to celebrate 
        National Wildlife Refuge Week during the second full week of October;
Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to seek 
        stakeholder input on the implementation of ``Conserving the Future: 
        Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation'', an update to the strategic 
        plan of the Service for the future of the National Wildlife Refuge 
        System;
Whereas the week beginning on October 11, 2015, has been designated as 
        ``National Wildlife Refuge Week'' by the United States Fish and Wildlife 
        Service; and
Whereas encouragement by the House of Representatives of the observance of 
        National Wildlife Refuge Week would recognize more than a century of 
        conservation in the United States, raise awareness about the importance 
        of wildlife and the National Wildlife Refuge System, and celebrate the 
        myriad recreational opportunities available to enjoy this network of 
        protected lands: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) encourages the observance of National Wildlife Refuge 
        Week with appropriate events and activities;
            (2) acknowledges the importance of national wildlife 
        refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution 
        to local economies across the United States;
            (3) pronounces that national wildlife refuges play a vital 
        role in securing the hunting and fishing heritage of the United 
        States for future generations;
            (4) identifies the significance of national wildlife 
        refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife observation, 
        photography, environmental education, and interpretation;
            (5) recognizes the importance of national wildlife refuges 
        to wildlife conservation and the protection of imperiled 
        species and ecosystems, as well as compatible uses;
            (6) acknowledges the role of national wildlife refuges in 
        conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habitat pursuant to the 
        Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.);
            (7) reaffirms the support of the House of Representatives 
        for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge 
        System; and
            (8) expresses the intent of the House of Representatives--
                    (A) to continue working to conserve wildlife; and
                    (B) to manage and grow the National Wildlife Refuge 
                System for current and future generations.
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