[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 244 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 244

  Expressing support for Japan to end its whaling in all forms and to 
           strengthen measures to conserve whale populations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2017

   Mr. Gaetz (for himself, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. 
Tenney, and Mr. Hastings) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
    Committee on Natural Resources, 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


 
  Expressing support for Japan to end its whaling in all forms and to 
           strengthen measures to conserve whale populations.

Whereas 88 countries have adopted or adhered to the International Convention for 
        the Regulation of Whaling (Convention), signed in Washington, D.C., on 
        December 2, 1946, which established the International Whaling Commission 
        (Commission) to provide for the conservation of whale stocks for future 
        generations;
Whereas Japan is a great friend and critical national security ally of the 
        United States;
Whereas the Commission adopted a moratorium on commercial whaling that went into 
        effect in 1986 to conserve and promote the recovery of whale 
        populations, many of which had been hunted to near extinction by the 
        whaling industry;
Whereas the Convention includes a scientific research exemption to the 
        commercial whaling moratorium which Japan has used for 30 years, to kill 
        nearly 16,000 whales under the guise of science;
Whereas cetacean scientists around the world have consistently concluded that 
        whaling conducted for scientific research purposes is unnecessary as 
        non-lethal research alternatives exist;
Whereas Japan has been certified four times under section 8 of the Fisherman's 
        Protection Act of 1967 (22 U.S.C. 1978), popularly known as the Pelly 
        Amendment, for diminishing the effectiveness of the Commission's 
        conservation measures;
Whereas, Japan launched another whaling program in the southern ocean in 
        December 2015, killing 333 Antarctic minke whales, many of them pregnant 
        females;
Whereas Japan recently announced its intention to begin a new 12-year whaling 
        program in the North Pacific;
Whereas whales have been killed by nearly every method imaginable, from 
        explosive harpoons and cold harpoons to electric lances and bullets;
Whereas no matter what method is used, tremendous suffering can ensue, as death 
        may take from several minutes potentially to hours, especially in the 
        case of animals struck and then lost;
Whereas commercial whaling, including scientific whaling and any coastal or 
        community-based whaling, undermines the conservation mandate of the 
        Convention;
Whereas all coastal whaling is commercial, unless conducted under the aboriginal 
        subsistence exemption to the moratorium on commercial whaling;
Whereas the Conservation Committee of the Commission, established in 2003, has 
        focused on threats to the world's whales, such as ship collisions, 
        incidental capture and entanglement, and the effects of sounds caused by 
        humans; and
Whereas whales migrate throughout the world's oceans, international cooperation 
        is required to successfully conserve and protect them: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its sense that the United States should 
        continue to be a global leader in whale conservation and 
        protection, and promote international efforts to conserve and 
        protect the world's whales;
            (2) strongly opposes commercial whaling and supports use of 
        all appropriate measures to end commercial whaling in any form, 
        including whaling under the guise of science;
            (3) urges Japan to cease all whaling;
            (4) affirms the commitment of the United States to protect 
        whales and to support global whale sanctuaries;
            (5) seeks to strengthen conservation and management 
        measures to facilitate the conservation of whale species and 
        populations; and
            (6) welcomes the opportunity to work with Japan and other 
        International Whaling Commission member countries at the next 
        Commission meeting in Brazil in 2018 to expand and support 
        ongoing efforts to prevent or mitigate threats to whales and 
        their habitats, such as ocean noise, marine debris, ship 
        strikes, entanglements, toxic contaminants, and disease.
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