[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 436 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 436

Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2023, 
                  to October 31, 2023, as ``BatWeek''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 26, 2023

     Mr. Welch (for himself and Mr. Braun) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2023, 
                  to October 31, 2023, as ``BatWeek''.

Whereas bats are vital to the sustainability of natural ecosystems, national 
        economies, and human health by controlling damaging insect pests, 
        pollinating plants that produce fruits and vegetables, dispersing seeds 
        to ensure healthy functioning forests and fields, and saving farmers in 
        the United States more than $3,000,000,000 in pest control every year;
Whereas bats have captured the human imagination through backyard sightings, 
        folklore, art, myths, and legends, making outreach and education about 
        the importance of bats instrumental;
Whereas bats are present throughout the world, except in extremely cold regions, 
        and are the second-largest order of mammals with over 1,400 species;
Whereas white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has killed millions of bats 
        in North America, has now spread to 40 States and 12 species of 
        hibernating bats;
Whereas the disease has caused significant declines in populations of the 
        tricolored bat, the little brown bat, and the northern long-eared bat, 
        which is listed as endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife 
        Service under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
        seq.);
Whereas the Department of the Interior, through the United States Fish and 
        Wildlife Service, the United States Geological Survey, the National Park 
        Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, is leading the international 
        response to the disease in partnership with the United States Forest 
        Service and more than 150 Federal and State agencies, Tribes, 
        nongovernmental organizations, and universities;
Whereas the United States Geological Survey and the United States Fish and 
        Wildlife Service co-lead the multinational, multiagency North American 
        Bat Monitoring Program, which, since 2015, has consolidated nearly 
        89,000,000 records from partners in 49 States, 9 Canadian Provinces, and 
        19 Tribal organizations, demonstrating the power of collaborative 
        conservation science to monitor changes in North American bat 
        populations;
Whereas the United States Geological Survey conducts scientific research on bats 
        that helps resource managers and policymakers make informed decisions 
        regarding the conservation of bats across North America; and
Whereas, in the past decade, the international partnership of States, Tribes, 
        Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other institutions 
        has made extraordinary progress to understand white-nose syndrome, slow 
        the spread of the disease, and develop treatments that hold promise for 
        ending this epidemic: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of ``BatWeek'';
            (2) encourages the observance of BatWeek with appropriate 
        events and activities;
            (3) acknowledges the important role bats play as 
        pollinators and pest control for agriculture; and
            (4) intends to--
                    (A) continue working to conserve bat species and 
                their habitat; and
                    (B) work to defeat the disease known as white-nose 
                syndrome.
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