[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 882 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 882

Encouraging the observance of the week beginning on October 9, 2016, as 
                   ``National Wildlife Refuge Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 22, 2016

 Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Kind, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. 
   Blumenauer, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Costello of 
Pennsylvania, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Hastings, Mr. 
Israel, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Lee, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. 
McCollum, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Walz, Mr. Welch, 
 Mr. Heck of Washington, Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. 
Pocan, Ms. Norton, Ms. Titus, Mr. Kilmer, and Ms. Kaptur) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Encouraging the observance of the week beginning on October 9, 2016, as 
                   ``National Wildlife Refuge Week''.

Whereas in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established the first national 
        wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in Florida;
Whereas 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 encompass 565 national 
        wildlife refuges, 38 wetland management districts, and 5 marine national 
        monuments in every State and territory of the United States, totaling 
        approximately 836,000,000 acres;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important destinations for recreation and 
        tourism in communities across the United States, and these protected 
        lands offer a variety of recreational opportunities, including six 
        wildlife-dependent uses that the National Wildlife Refuge System 
        manages: hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, 
        environmental education, and interpretation;
Whereas, 364 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System have hunting programs 
        and 303 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System have fishing 
        programs, averaging more than 2,400,000 hunting visits and nearly 
        6,800,000 fishing visits each year;
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experienced more than 30,800,000 
        wildlife observation visits during fiscal year 2015;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local businesses and gateway 
        communities;
Whereas, for every $1.00 appropriated for national wildlife refuges, nearly 
        $5.00 in economic activity is generated;
Whereas visitation to the National Wildlife Refuge System increased by nearly 30 
        percent between 2005 and 2015;
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System 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, 
        wetlands, deserts, grasslands, arctic tundras, and remote islands, and 
        spans 12 time zones from the 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 Federal Duck Stamps to outdoor enthusiasts has 
        generated more than $850,000,000, which has enabled the purchase or 
        lease of more than 5,700,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl and other 
        species in the National Wildlife Refuge System;
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide protection to more than 380 threatened 
        and endangered species;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation for larger 
        landscapes and a means for agencies of the Federal Government, State 
        governments, private landowners, and organizations to secure the 
        wildlife heritage of the United States;
Whereas more than 36,000 volunteers and approximately 200 nonprofit 
        organizations designated as national wildlife refuge ``Friends'' groups 
        contribute more than 1,400,000 hours annually to preserving the national 
        wildlife refuges, 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, there are national wildlife refuges located in both urban and suburban 
        areas and a national wildlife refuge located within an hour drive of 
        every metropolitan area in the United States;
Whereas 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, national wildlife 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 United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the future of 
        the National Wildlife Refuge System;
Whereas the week beginning on October 9, 2016, has been designated as ``National 
        Wildlife Refuge Week'' by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; 
        and
Whereas the observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week by the House of 
        Representatives 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;
            (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--
                    (A) to continue working to conserve wildlife; and
                    (B) to support the National Wildlife Refuge System 
                for current and future generations.
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