[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H10944-H10945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONSIDERING AS PASSED H. CON. RES. 131, SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE 
                           OCEAN, AS AMENDED

  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask further unanimous consent that the 
amendment to H. Con. Res. 131 placed at the desk be considered as 
adopted and the resolution H.Con.Res. 131 be considered as adopted, and 
a motion to reconsider be laid on the table.
  The text of H.Con.Res. 131 is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 131

       Whereas the ocean comprises nearly three quarters of the 
     surface of the Earth;
       Whereas the ocean contains diverse species of fish and 
     other living organisms which form the largest ecosystem on 
     Earth;
       Whereas these living marine resources provide important 
     food resources to the United States and the world, and 
     unsustainable use of these resources has unacceptable 
     economic, environmental, and cultural consequences;
       Whereas the ocean and sea floor contain vast energy and 
     mineral resources which are critical to the economy of the 
     United States and the world;
       Whereas the ocean largely controls global weather and 
     climate, and is the ultimate source of all water resources;
       Whereas the vast majority of the deep ocean is unexplored 
     and unknown, and the ocean is truly the last frontier on 
     Earth for science and civilization;
       Whereas the ocean is the common means of transportation 
     between coastal nations and carries the majority of the 
     United States foreign trade;
       Whereas any nation's use or misuse of ocean resources has 
     effects far beyond that nation's borders; and
       Whereas the United Nations has declared 1998 to be the 
     International Year of the Ocean, and in order to observe such 
     celebration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration and other Federal agencies, in cooperation 
     with organizations concerned with ocean science and marine 
     resources, have resolved to promote exploration, utilization, 
     conservation, and public awareness of the ocean: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the economic 
     future, environmental quality, and national security of the 
     United States;
       (2) the United States has a responsibility to exercise and 
     promote comprehensive stewardship of the ocean and the living 
     marine resources it contains; and
       (3) the agencies of the United States Government, and all 
     other public and private organizations, are encouraged to 
     strive toward a better understanding of the ocean, 
     communicate this understanding to the people of the United 
     States, and thereby promote the exploration of the ocean, the 
     sustainable use of ocean resources, and the conservation of 
     these resources for future generations.


[[Page H10945]]


  The text of House Concurrent Resolution 131, as amended, is as 
follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 131

       Whereas the ocean, which comprises nearly three-quarters of 
     the Earth's surface, sustains a large part of the Earth's 
     biodiversity, provides an important source of food, and 
     interacts with and affects global weather and climate;
       Whereas the ocean is critical to national security, is the 
     common means of transportation among coastal nations, and 
     carries 95 percent of the United States foreign trade;
       Whereas the ocean and sea floor contain vast energy and 
     mineral resources that are critical to the economy of the 
     United States and the world;
       Whereas ocean resources are limited and susceptible to 
     change as a direct and indirect result of human activities, 
     and such changes can impact the ability of the ocean to 
     provide the benefits upon which the Nation depends;
       Whereas the vast majority of the deep ocean is unexplored 
     and unknown, and the ocean is truly the last frontier on 
     Earth for science and civilization;
       Whereas there exists significant promise for the 
     development of new ocean technologies for stewardship of 
     ocean resources that will contribute to the economy through 
     business and manufacturing innovations and the creation of 
     new jobs;
       Whereas any nation's use or misuse of ocean resources has 
     effects far beyond that nation's borders;
       Whereas it has been 30 years since the Commission on Marine 
     Science, Engineering, and Resources (popularly known as the 
     Stratton Commission) met to examine the state of United 
     States ocean policy and issued recommendations that led to 
     the present Federal structure for oceanography and marine 
     resource management; and
       Whereas 1998 has been declared the International Year of 
     the Ocean, and in order to observe such celebration, the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other 
     Federal agencies, in cooperation with organizations concerned 
     with ocean science and marine resource,s have resolved to 
     promote exploration, utilization, conservation, and public 
     awareness of the ocean: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the economic 
     future, environmental quality, and national security of the 
     United States;
       (2) the United States has a responsibility to exercise and 
     promote comprehensive stewardship of the ocean and the living 
     marine resources it contains; and
       (3) Federal agencies are encouraged to take advantage of 
     the United States and international focus on the oceans in 
     1998, to--
       (A) review United States oceanography and marine resource 
     management policies and programs;
       (B) identify opportunities to streamline, better direct, 
     and increase interagency cooperation in oceanographic 
     research and marine resource management policies and 
     programs; and
       (C) develop scientific, educational, and resource 
     management programs which will advance the exploration of the 
     ocean and the sustainable use of ocean resources.
       Amend the title so as to read: ``Concurrent resolution 
     acknowledging 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean and 
     expressing the sense of Congress regarding the ocean.''.

                          ____________________