[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 465 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 465

 Recognizing World Oceans Day and the necessity to protect, conserve, 
           maintain, and rebuild our ocean and its resources.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 8, 2021

   Ms. Bonamici (for herself, Mr. Young, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Case, Mr. 
  Kilmer, Mr. Pappas, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Panetta, and Miss 
Gonzalez-Colon) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee 
  on Science, Space, and Technology, 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


 
 Recognizing World Oceans Day and the necessity to protect, conserve, 
           maintain, and rebuild our ocean and its resources.

Whereas the ocean covers more than 70 percent of our planet;
Whereas the ocean generates the oxygen we breathe, regulates our climate and 
        weather patterns, supplies food, is a source of cultural value, supports 
        tourism and trade, and is an untapped energy resource;
Whereas scientists estimate more than 95 percent of the ocean remains 
        unexplored;
Whereas the health of our ocean is a reflection of the health of our planet;
Whereas 2021 marks the first year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science 
        for Sustainable Development (``the Decade'');
Whereas the Decade will help accelerate research to address gaps in ocean 
        science, strengthen international cooperation, and improve ocean 
        management;
Whereas a scientific priority of the Decade is to create a comprehensive digital 
        atlas of the ocean and strengthen ocean observations;
Whereas according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, less 
        than 20 percent of the global ocean is currently mapped, and the data 
        that we do have is not always easily accessible;
Whereas changes in ocean chemistry, temperature, and biodiversity pose a very 
        real threat to marine resources, industries, and jobs;
Whereas approximately one-third of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 
        dissolves into our ocean, causing water chemistry to change and become 
        more acidic;
Whereas ocean acidification harms oysters, mussels, lobsters, clams, corals, and 
        other species building shells and skeletons and reproducing;
Whereas some finfish lose their sense of smell for identifying prey, 
        reproducing, and navigating their habitats in acidic waters;
Whereas according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
        Change, the ocean has taken up more than 90 percent of excess heat in 
        the climate system since 1970, and marine heat waves are very likely to 
        become longer lasting, more intense, and more extensive;
Whereas according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 80 
        percent of pollution to the ocean comes from land;
Whereas increased temperatures and nutrient runoff can result in harmful algal 
        blooms that accumulate, die, decompose, and consume oxygen, leaving 
        waterways in a hypoxic or anoxic state that can result in massive fish 
        kills and the formation of ``dead zones'' where marine life cannot 
        survive;
Whereas the decrease in biodiversity, and decline and shifts in distribution of 
        fisheries, will affect the livelihoods and food security of coastal 
        communities;
Whereas Tribes have a right and a deep cultural and historical connection to the 
        fisheries threatened by changing ocean chemistry;
Whereas according to the United Nations, more than eight million tons of plastic 
        end up in the ocean each year;
Whereas marine debris harms our coastal economies, endangers marine life, 
        destroys important marine habitat, propagates invasive species, and 
        creates hazardous conditions for the maritime industry;
Whereas tiny pieces of plastic, fiber, fragments, and microbeads also make their 
        way into marine life, blocking digestive tracts, altering growth, and in 
        some cases killing animals and marine organisms;
Whereas marine debris is considered a growing global crisis that requires 
        collaborative work with partners from across the world;
Whereas we need to improve our understanding of the implications of 
        environmental stressors, such as ocean acidification, harmful algal 
        blooms, hypoxia, marine debris, warming ocean temperatures, overfishing, 
        and rising sea levels;
Whereas these environmental stressors are indicators of a changing climate and 
        threaten our economy and the livelihood of vulnerable coastal 
        communities;
Whereas across the United States, coastal communities contribute $7.6 trillion 
        to the United States economy annually, representing 46 percent of the 
        Nation's economic output;
Whereas, in 2008, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 8 as 
        ``World Oceans Day''; and
Whereas World Oceans Day provides an opportunity to recommit to protect, 
        conserve, maintain, and rebuild our ocean and its resources: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes World Oceans Day and affirms the individual 
        and collective duty, both nationally and internationally, to 
        protect, conserve, maintain, and rebuild our ocean and its 
        resources;
            (2) affirms the stewardship of ocean resources is vital to 
        both present and future generations; and
            (3) commits to increasing the investment of Federal funds 
        in scientific research and monitoring to better understand our 
        changing ocean and to accomplish the goals of the United 
        Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
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