[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 286 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 286

   Designating the week beginning on October 11, 2015, as ``National 
                        Wildlife Refuge Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 8, 2015

Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Collins, Mr. Reed, 
   Mr. Booker, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
 Heinrich, Mr. Manchin, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mr. Franken) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Designating the week beginning on October 11, 2015, as ``National 
                        Wildlife Refuge Week''.

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;
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 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 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 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 a 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 United States Fish and Wildlife 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 the designation of National Wildlife Refuge Week by the Senate 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 Senate--
            (1) designates the week beginning on October 11, 2015, as 
        ``National Wildlife Refuge Week'';
            (2) encourages the observance of National Wildlife Refuge 
        Week with appropriate events and activities;
            (3) acknowledges the importance of national wildlife 
        refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution 
        to local economies across the United States;
            (4) pronounces that national wildlife refuges play a vital 
        role in securing the hunting and fishing heritage of the United 
        States for future generations;
            (5) identifies the significance of national wildlife 
        refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife observation, 
        photography, environmental education, and interpretation;
            (6) recognizes the importance of national wildlife refuges 
        to wildlife conservation and the protection of imperiled 
        species and ecosystems, as well as compatible uses;
            (7) acknowledges the role of national wildlife refuges in 
        conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habitat pursuant to the 
        Migratory Bird Treaty Act (40 Stat. 755, chapter 128);
            (8) reaffirms the support of the Senate for wildlife 
        conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System; and
            (9) expresses the intent of the Senate--
                    (A) to continue working to conserve wildlife; and
                    (B) to manage the National Wildlife Refuge System 
                for current and future generations.
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