[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 779 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 779
Designating the week of September 17 through September 24, 2022, as
``National Estuaries Week''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 20, 2022
Mr. Whitehouse (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Mr.
Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Collins, Mr. Coons, Mrs.
Feinstein, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Mr. Markey, Mr.
Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Portman, Mr. Reed, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Shaheen,
Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. Warner) submitted the following resolution;
which was considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Designating the week of September 17 through September 24, 2022, as
``National Estuaries Week''.
Whereas estuary regions cover only 13 percent of the land area in the
continental United States, but contain nearly 40 percent of the
population, 39 percent of the jobs, and 47 percent of the economic
output of the United States;
Whereas the oceans, estuaries, and Great Lakes of the United States continue to
fuel economic growth across the United States, which is evidenced by the
fact that, by 2019--
(1) employment levels in economic sectors relating to oceans and
estuaries had increased by 25 percent from employment levels in those
sectors in 2007, before the Great Recession; and
(2) the average employment level of the entire economy of the United
States had increased by 9 percent from that employment level in 2007,
before the Great Recession;
Whereas, between 2018 and 2019, economic sectors relating to estuaries, oceans,
and Great Lakes in the United States--
(1) created 88,000 new jobs;
(2) employed 3,500,000 individuals; and
(3) contributed $351,000,000,000 to the gross domestic product;
Whereas the commercial and recreational fishing industries support more than
1,800,000 jobs in the United States;
Whereas, in 2019--
(1) commercial and recreational saltwater fishing in the United States
generated more than $255,000,000,000 in sales and contributed
$117,000,000,000 to the gross domestic product of the United States;
(2) angler trip expenditures totaled nearly $10,025,000,000; and
(3) saltwater recreational fishing supported 553,000 jobs, generated
$89,340,000,000 in sales across the United States, and contributed
$50,122,000,000 to the gross domestic product of the United States;
Whereas estuaries provide vital habitats for--
(1) countless species of fish and wildlife, including more than 68
percent of the commercial fish catch in the United States by value and 80
percent of the recreational fish catch in the United States by weight; and
(2) many species that are listed as threatened or endangered species;
Whereas estuaries provide critical ecosystem services that protect human health
and public safety, including water filtration, flood control, shoreline
stabilization, erosion prevention, and the protection of coastal
communities during hurricanes, storms, and other extreme weather events;
Whereas, by the 1980s, the United States had already lost more than 50 percent
of the wetlands that existed in the original 13 colonies;
Whereas some bays in the United States that were once filled with fish and
oysters have become dead zones filled with excess nutrients, chemical
waste, and marine debris;
Whereas harmful algal blooms are hurting fish, wildlife, and human health, and
are causing serious ecological and economic harm to some estuaries;
Whereas changes in sea levels can affect estuarine water quality and estuarine
habitats;
Whereas section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330)
(commonly known as the ``Clean Water Act'') authorizes the development
of comprehensive conservation and management plans to ensure that the
designated uses of estuaries are protected and to restore and maintain--
(1) the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of estuaries;
(2) water quality;
(3) a balanced indigenous population of shellfish, fish, and wildlife;
and
(4) recreational activities in estuaries;
Whereas the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.)
provides that the policy of the United States is to preserve, protect,
develop, and, if possible, restore or enhance the resources of the
coastal zone of the United States, including estuaries, for current and
future generations;
Whereas 29 coastal and Great Lakes States and territories of the United States
operate or contain a National Estuary Program or a National Estuarine
Research Reserve;
Whereas scientific study leads to a better understanding of the benefits of
estuaries to human and ecological communities;
Whereas the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, national
and community organizations, and individuals work together to
effectively manage the estuaries of the United States;
Whereas estuary restoration efforts restore natural infrastructure in local
communities in a cost-effective manner, helping to create jobs and
reestablish the natural functions of estuaries that yield countless
benefits; and
Whereas the week of September 17 through September 24, 2022, is recognized as
``National Estuaries Week'' to increase awareness among all people of
the United States, including Federal Government and State, local, and
Tribal government officials, about the importance of healthy estuaries
and the need to protect and restore estuaries: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates the week of September 17 through September
24, 2022, as ``National Estuaries Week'';
(2) supports the goals and ideals of National Estuaries
Week;
(3) acknowledges the importance of estuaries to sustaining
employment in the United States and the economic well-being and
prosperity of the United States;
(4) recognizes that persistent threats undermine the health
of estuaries;
(5) applauds the work of national and community
organizations and public partners that promote public
awareness, understanding, protection, and restoration of
estuaries;
(6) supports the scientific study, preservation,
protection, and restoration of estuaries; and
(7) expresses the intent of the Senate to continue working
to understand, protect, and restore the estuaries of the United
States.
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