[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 688 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 688

  Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 16 
      through September 23, 2023, as ``National Estuaries Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2023

     Mr. Posey (for himself, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Mast, Mr. Larsen of 
   Washington, Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. 
Brownley, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Carson, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Pappas, Mr. 
 Nadler, Mr. Beyer, and Mr. Carter of Georgia) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 16 
      through September 23, 2023, 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 Nation's oceans, estuaries, and Great Lakes continue to fuel 
        economic growth across the Nation with employment from the estuarine and 
        ocean economy growing at 2.6 percent in 2019, compared to the national 
        average employment growth of 1.4 percent;
Whereas estuary, ocean, and Great Lakes economy sectors created 88,000 new jobs 
        between 2018 to 2019, employed 3,500,000 people, and contributed 
        $351,000,000,000 in gross domestic product;
Whereas employment in the ocean economy increased by 25 percent from 
        prerecession levels (2007), three times the rate of recovery of the 
        United States economy as a whole;
Whereas the commercial and recreational fishing industries support over 
        1,700,000 jobs in the United States;
Whereas in 2020--

    (1) commercial and recreational saltwater fishing in the United States 
generated more than $253,000,000,000 in sales and contributed 
$117,000,000,000 to the gross domestic product of the United States;

    (2) angler trip expenditures totaled nearly $10,200,000,000; and

    (3) saltwater recreational fishing supported 594,000 jobs, generated 
$98,028,000,000 in sales impacts across the economy, and contributed 
$54,962,000,000 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, carbon sequestration, 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 13 Original 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 level 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 
        the--

    (1) chemical, physical, and biological integrity of estuaries;

    (2) water quality;

    (3) 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 28 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 16 through September 23, 2023, 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 House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of ``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 House of Representatives to 
        continue working to understand, protect, and restore the 
        estuaries of the United States.
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